Drive. Pray. Scream?: Day 140: Lasting Influence

A wonderful morning of worship at Peachtree Presbyterian was followed by a great afternoon at a couple of Atlanta's sites. We toured The World of Coke, learning about the secret syrup developed by Dr. Pemberton in 1886, and his product that now spans the world. We really enjoyed the room in which many old commercials played. Stan and I felt old, realizing how many decades of Coke commercials are part of our personal experience. The tour ended in the tasting room, where fountain kiosks feature Coca-Cola products from each of the five continents. Kendall finished each and every one of her samples and, consequently, made many trips to the bathroom over the rest of the day! Our least favorite was a product sold in Italy, 'Beverly." Think carbonated cough syrup.

We wish we'd saved more of our afternoon for the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site. It covers a multi-block area that includes Ebenezer Baptist Church (where he and his father preached for many years), the home in which he was born, and the reflecting pool that encircles his tomb and that of his wife, Coretta Scott King. The national park visitor center is quite extensive, and at its heart is a beautiful, life-size artistic interpretation of the Freedom March led by King from Selma to Montgomery. The exhibits surrounding the march artwork detail various aspects of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It's humbling to realize the influence of Dr. King's short life; he hadn't reached 40 when he was killed in 1968. As we wrap up our day, reflecting on what we learned and saw, we feel renewed conviction to make each day count...to not take for granted the time we've been given, even if our influence doesn't extend past our children at this stage in our lives. Hope we can let go of some of the pressure that creates in order to sleep tonight!