This week I was sad to hear about the death of someone I have known for many years. We performed together in the Oldies but Goodies Rock and Roll Show and since 2001 we have been part of a group that has raised well over $300,000 for different charities in the Berkshires. His name was Malcolm, and he was a husband, a father, and someone who gave back to the community. He was a great entertainer and singer and I have been blessed to get to know him. I hold his family in my prayers as they go through this challenging time. I also have a close friend her name is Lisa who lost her father-in-law this week and I hold all of them in my thoughts and prayers.
When people close to you or who you know have died it makes you think about how fragile life is and that our time here on this earth is not guaranteed. We just have now. We just have this moment. It makes me think about the legacy I will leave behind when it is my time. It is not something we want to think or talk about, but I believe if we want to live a life that honors dignity, we must think about what we will leave behind when we are no longer here.
I titled this post Mission, Vision, and Goals because I believe that we all should have them. They are not just for companies, businesses, and organizations. They can be used as a north star as we navigate through everyday life. It is our compass and our way to connect to dignity. I often talk about what Dr. Donna Hicks describes as the three connections of dignity. We want to connect to the dignity of ourselves, the dignity of others, and the dignity to something higher. This is truly the core of what dignity is. It is how we can achieve what Dr. Hicks describes as the “Mandela Consciousness” where no one can rob you of your dignity.
Having a mission, vision, and goal in your life leads you to those three connections of dignity. Your mission is what you want to achieve. Your vision is the result after you achieve your mission, and your goal is your plan to get there. It is funny when I look back at my life and all the wrong directions I went in. Even though I did not write them down I had a mission, vision, and goal and they all led me to dishonoring the three connections of dignity. As I write these posts it is important for me to share my faults so that you understand I am far from perfect and that I just want to share my experiences in hopes of making things better for those around me.
My mission is to make a difference in the lives of others. My vision is to create a place where dignity is honored and writing these dignity blogs is one way for me to achieve that vision. I have been writing these dignity posts since July of 2020 and I hope to continue to write them for many years to come. But my greatest hope is that long after I leave this earth people in the future will read these words and it will make a difference for them.
Every word I write, every dream I accomplish, every person I can help is all because I want to honor dignity, elevate others, and become a better person and example for my family. It has and never will be about me but about what I can give back.
“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” – Maya Angelou
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 