I can eas­ily get over­whelmed with neg­a­tiv­ity about the fate of the planet.  Just try read­ing the news.

Here’s some­thing I’ve found that helps me keep a pos­i­tive out­look — an excerpt from Mar­tin Luther King’s Nobel Prize accep­tance speech back in 1964.

Wow.

Nobel Peace Prize Accep­tance Speech (excerpt)
OSLO, NORWAY, DECEMBER 10, 1964

“I accept this award today with an abid­ing faith in Amer­ica and an auda­cious faith in the future of mankind. I refuse to accept the idea that the ‘isness’ of man’s present nature makes him morally inca­pable of reach­ing up for the eter­nal ‘ought­ness’ that for­ever con­fronts him.

I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flot­sam and jet­sam in the river of  life which sur­rounds him. I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so trag­i­cally bound to the star­less mid­night of racism and war that the bright day­break of peace and broth­er­hood can never become a reality.

I refuse to accept the cyn­i­cal notion that nation after nation must spi­ral down a mil­i­taris­tic stair­way into a hell of ther­monu­clear destruc­tion. I believe that unarmed truth and uncon­di­tional love will have the final word in real­ity. That is why right tem­porar­ily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.

I believe that even amid today’s mor­tar bursts and whin­ing bul­lets, there is still hope for a brighter tomor­row. I believe that wounded jus­tice, lying pros­trate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the chil­dren of men.

I have the audac­ity to believe that peo­ples every­where can have three meals a day for their bod­ies, edu­ca­tion and cul­ture for their minds, and dig­nity, equal­ity and free­dom for their spir­its. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down other-centered men can build up. I believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned tri­umphant over war and blood­shed, and non­vi­o­lent redemp­tive good will pro­claim the rule of the land. ‘And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid.’ I still believe that we shall overcome.

This faith can give us courage to face the uncer­tain­ties of the future. It will give our tired feet new strength as we con­tinue our for­ward stride toward the city of free­dom. When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds and our nights become darker than a thou­sand mid­nights, we will know that we are liv­ing in the cre­ative tur­moil of a gen­uine civ­i­liza­tion strug­gling to be born.

Today I come to Oslo as a trustee, inspired and with renewed ded­i­ca­tion to human­ity. I accept this prize on behalf of all men who love peace and brotherhood.”