Word Ripples on a Sweatshirt
“You go first.”
The woman beside me on the bus insisted I get off ahead of her. She smiled and said, “It’s because of your shirt. We love it.”
Only then did I realize she and her companion had been reading the words on my sweatshirt. I’m glad they had.
Throughout the day, others commented on it, too—always with a smile, always with an encouraging sentiment.
Some words are spoken once, to one person, and that’s enough. They end there. They’ve served their purpose.
But other times, a set of words ripple on and on. They travel for years and miles. They affect numerous situations and multiple generations.
These words from Martin Luther King, Jr., are like that:
“I have decided to stick to love. . . Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
King first spoke these words into existence decades ago during a speech in Atlanta for the 1967 Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The title of the address was, “Where Do We Go From Here?“
But the words didn’t die there. They’ve taken on a life of their own. And continue to be resurrected everywhere they go, in new voices, new circumstances, and new times.
On my sweatshirt, I’m honored to carry them with me into conversations, buses, and everyday exchanges.
I hope these words continue to ripple forward, maybe into your world, too.
shirt from Mahogany Mommies, a Black woman owned business
Share your thoughts in the comments.
I love, love, love your sweatshirt, Lisa! May these words cause wonderful, reflective ripples everywhere you go. Blessings, and have an amazing Easter!
What a great shirt and message, especially now in these times. And thanks for sharing the link too
Lisa, I love the message on the sweatshirt! If more people followed through with it, the world would be so much better. So happy you shared this with us at The Crazy Little Lovebirds link party.
What a great message. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.
That is such an inspiring quote, and a great shirt!
Perfection 🙂
I am a big fan of wearing graphic tees because I like them! But when someone out in the world comments on one, it brings such joy to my heart.
I’m so glad you have such inspiring words to wear and that they said something to you about them <3
Love it!!“I have decided to stick to love. . . Hate is too great a burden to bear.” I like tees with sayings on them.Might need to add this one to my collection.
Love this, Lisa!
What a beautiful story — thank you for letting us catch the ripple. I love how something as simple as a sweatshirt became a quiet messenger of love. Just reading this made my day a little lighter. ????
Not sure how I feel about people reading my shirt, but some words are important enough to ripple out into the world in any way possible.
I absolutely love that sweatshirt!!!