Monday Motivation, 7.20.2020

Written by: Stacy Tolbert

Every Monday, The Rogers-Long Team meets for one of its two weekly meetings. The Monday meeting always ends with “Monday Motivation” in which a few minutes are spent listening to one team member presenting a quote, a quick reading from a book, a scene from a movie, or anything else they find motivating to provide a “spark” to the whole team on a Monday morning.

Rep. John Lewis,

Before you assume I am going on a rant about the current race relations in America, hold your opinions and hear me out. At a young age, during one of America’s greatest civil unrests, John Lewis decided to join the movement with Martin Luther King and others to help end segregation. During his early years of activism he was consistently beaten, arrested and most notable severely injured while making the walk across the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama on March  7, 1965. He notes in several interviews that he felt at that moment he thought he would die on that bridge that day, in fact the scar still remains.

Even through every thing he endured he remained an optimist, keeping his Christian values at the fore front. He says since he met Martin Luther King he’s been getting in trouble, but good trouble because he was fighting for the African-american/black community. So if you’re still with me and haven’t ignored me, my message is his, and one that should be in the front of your mind as you face even the most mundane of daily challenges.

John Lewis was elected to represent that state of Georgia in the house of representatives. He once said “When you see something that’s not right, no just, not fair you have a moral obligation to say something to do something”. The constants “No’s” presented to him, like not being allowed to check out a library book helped push him to become educated and get out of the impoverished part of Alabama he grew up in. Through his arrests and beatings he kept forward with his non violent movement and eventually helping capture the nations attention.

Now if I still have your attention I want to let you know what makes Rep. John Lewis an incredible person. After what was already a storied past and one for the history books at such a young age, Rep John Lewis, became a Congressman who represented Georgia from 1987 to 2020. He was known to be that man that reached out to both sides of the aisle. He was notable enough that people from both sides of the aisle would seek photo ops or other opportunities just to say they worked with him. He knew that he was often a prop and  because of his Christian values he didn’t have an issue with it. He took it as an opportunity to potentially educate someone or hopefully allow someone to take a walk in his shoes, even if only for a moment. The strength is takes for someone in that position to endure the “prop” value of a photo op and not be angered by it takes a strength that many of us don’t have. So I ask, during these troubling times in our society do you have the strength to allow someone to use you in this way? Do you have the patience to stop and actually listen to someone of opposing views? Rep. John Lewis did and why he was known as the “guy” that would reach across the aisle. Have you taken even a moment to listen to your opponent’s view?

It’s no doubt that we are going through what will be known as a historic time, what will your role be? My Monday motivations usually fall to one simple idea, because it is something that I value deeply, be kind and pay it forward. There is no room for hatred, but humanity and humility can go a long way. So my “assignment” this week is to listen to someone who may have opposing views, have a conversation (not an argument), Your opponent may have something of value to say, something that truly concerns them, if we can start talking it out, then we can start the trend of truly listening and trying to come together. If you haven’t taken the moment to walk in someone else’s shoes what’s stopping you? There is nothing to fear in listening. In fact if we did it more we would be a far better society.

“Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind” – John Lewis.

What will your legacy be?

Stacy Tolbert, The Transaction Coordinator for The Rogers-Long Team: Powered by Hometown Realty, was a client of Ben & Kevin’s in 2015. After hiring The RLT for her family’s move, Ben returned the favor and hired her to come work with the team! Stacy’s primary role is coordinating transactions from contract to close. In her spare time, you can find Stacy working in the garden, tasting Craft Beer, or managing her three fantasy football teams!