When I woke up Monday morning, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I realized that I too have a dream. I was inspired by the plethora of Martin Luther King, Jr. quotations making their rounds on the Internet and the conversations I’ve been having with people recently about philanthropy (see my last post). I was also inspired by the essay of a colleague’s son about his dream for our world. Remember the days of the classroom writing prompts? For example, write an essay sharing your dream with the world.

And so, I thought I’d share my dream.

I have a dream…that one day people of every age, race, religion, sexual orientation, and nationality embrace philanthropy. That they own the word. They will come to find that all the other words we use—volunteering, giving, social action, social justice, service, service learning, community service—are actions of philanthropy. No matter how small the gesture or large the gift, acting from a place of love for your fellow human beings IS philanthropy.

I have a dream…that our society defines philanthropy from this broader perspective and embraces all who are bold enough to dream with me. That people will gather with me and others who truly believe that everyone can be a philanthropist.

Philanthropy is for you and me. It is for the nine-year old boy who doesn’t believe he can save a life until he sees that his talents can raise money to operate a neo-natal intensive care unit. It is for the 90-year old woman who talks with her grandchildren about the importance of giving and how that has been a driving force in the family’s business for generations. It is for the person who always thinks she is on the receiving end and has nothing to give. And it is for the teenager who is just embarking on an exploration of how he can make a difference in this world. We can all be philanthropists, in our own ways.

I have a dream…that as we engage in philanthropy, we engage from our core values, from deep down in our heart. We take time to examine our values, whether it is freedom, community, equity, family, integrity. Or maybe it’s innovation, happiness, or personal growth. Whatever our values are, may we learn to connect with them in a way that allows us to express them to the world through giving of our time, talent, treasure, or ties. And in so doing, we come to find our own meaning in the word philanthropy.

I have a dream…that one day, we will all be philanthropists.

What is your dream? Please feel free to share in the comments below.