One of my dearest, longtime friends recently called me a crusader. My immediate mental image was of a knight on horseback waving a flag. When I asked her why she called me that she said it was because I like to talk about ideas. This is absolutely true, but I was not sure it qualified me as a crusader.
One definition of “crusade” from dictionary.com reads, “any vigorous, aggressive movement for the defense or advancement of an idea, cause, etc.” After giving this definition a little thought, I decided that I am indeed a crusader. I also realized all of my heroes are crusaders and pretty much everyone I truly respect is a crusader of some sort.
Today, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we remember a great crusader. I will listen to “I Have A Dream.” I keep it on my iPod year round; my children have heard it numerous times. I am always inspired by not only the message, but also the passion and conviction with which the message is delivered. This famous speech draws from the works of other important crusades including the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and the United States Constitution.
I am not lumping myself in with Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, or the founding fathers by declaring myself as a crusader. But, like these heroes I have dreams and ideas I believe in fervently and that is where all great things begin.
What about you? What are you passionate about? Are you a crusader? If you are, what are you doing to advance your ideas? If you are not, you should be – I dare you.
Misty L. Sheffield is a freelance paralegal helping solos and small law firms in civil litigation. She has been assisting attorneys for over 12 years. 
