Everyone’s Dream

Paula stood in the huge crowd, amazed at how calm and polite everyone was being. For days, she had heard everyone talk about their worries of violence and fights breaking out among the crowds that were determined to march on Washington, but now that Paula was among those waiting to hear Dr. King speak, she saw no hint that things might turn violent. In fact, the entire March on Washington had been peaceful, just as Dr. King would want it to be.

The crackling noise of the speaker brought Paula’s attention back to the podium. She was close enough that she could see Dr. King as he walked up to the microphone. He had such a presence about him that the entire crowd immediately fell silent. His words rang out through the crowd loud and clear. She watched, mesmerized, as he seemed to push his speech away and begin talking as though straight from his heart. King’s voice carried over the crowd as he spoke of his dream for all the people of America. The crowd could not look away as his words echoed so eloquently their own thoughts and hopes. He had said in his speech what everyone in the crowd believed and wanted.

When the day finally ended and Paula was back at her hotel room, she could not go to sleep because she was so excited about the possibilities of what might be next in America’s future. Could those of different races ever live in peace and harmony? She knew she was only one person, and she wasn’t sure how much difference she could make, but when she thought about all those people who marched today, she knew that together they could be unstoppable. Paula couldn’t wait for tomorrow to arrive.