March 2018 (911chaplain.org)

Booker T Washington was still a young boy of 7 when Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in January of 1863. While he was spared the full brunt of slavery his entire life, he spent the remainder striving to help others break free of the long, horrifying degradation from generations in slavery.

Washington was an unusual, even almost unique personality of his time. Articulate, educated and charismatic, he has been criticized as an, “accommodator,” a “Go along to get along,” kind of guy. In spite of the criticism he believed strongly in the value of service, and in serving those closest in, and where circumstances place you.

. . .

Booker T Washington told a story of service in the metaphor of a tall masted sailing ship trapped in a dire situation. Damaged and becalmed in still waters, stores ran low and the situation turned into a crisis of dwindling supplies, drinkable water being chief among the shortages. To the Captain’s relief, another ship appeared near their location and they were eventually able to communicate. As they closed the signal went out, “No water. Please send.” The response from the other ship was simply, “Drop your bucket where you are.” The troubled ship’s Commander once again signaled, “Situation critical. SEND water,” and again, the response was sent, “DROP your bucket where you are.”

The situation extended, and several pleas for water were dispatched, with always the same simple response, “DROP YOUR BUCKET WHERE YOU ARE…” Finally, in desperation, with no recourse, the desperate crew eventually dropped their buckets into the ocean below. When retrieved, the water was sweet, cool and fresh. The entire time they had been sitting where the mouth of the Great Amazon River daily empties millions of gallons of fresh water into the Atlantic Ocean.

. . .

Chaplain Ken Turney