By Laura Johnstone
When I was growing up, I always had this deep sense of what was fair and what wasn’t. Even when I didn’t have the words or the essay-writing skills to explain it, I felt things strongly. I believed – and still believe – in human rights, in fairness, and in standing up for what’s right.
One of my earliest “special interests,” as you’d probably call it now, was Martin Luther King Jr. I was drawn to his story – not just the big speeches and history book moments, but the strength it must have taken to do what he did, in the time he did it. His voice carried truth and hope, even when things were dark.
I’ll never forget my Religious Studies teacher. I don’t even think she knew just how deeply MLK’s story meant to me, but one day she gave me a short book about his life. It wasn’t a big, heavy book – which was perfect because at that time, reading was still something I was building confidence in. I struggled, especially with long texts, but this one felt manageable.
Fast forward to the night before my GCSE Religious Studies exam. I was panicking. My brain was fried. Nothing was going in anymore and I felt completely overwhelmed. So, I decided to step away from the textbooks and picked up the book about Martin Luther King again. I needed something to calm me down – something familiar, something I connected with.
Little did I know that reading that book would be the best revision I could have done.
The very next day, when I opened my exam paper, there it was: an essay question on Martin Luther King’s life. I couldn’t believe it. My heart actually jumped. I may not have been the strongest essay writer – structuring answers was something I found hard – but that day, I knew what I wanted to say. I poured my heart into that answer. I couldn’t write fancy, but I wrote real. And I got one of my best marks.
That experience taught me something I still carry with me now as a parent and as someone who is passionate about helping others: when you stand up for what matters, when you follow your heart, and when someone believes in you – even in quiet ways, like handing you a book – it can change everything.
So today’s daily blog prompt was about people we admire. For me, it’s always been people who stand up – even when it’s uncomfortable. Martin Luther King did that. My teacher – in her own way – did that too. And now I try to do the same, in my work, in my parenting, and in the stories I share.
Because sometimes, the night before your exam, it’s not the textbook that gives you the answers – it’s the person who believed in you, and the story that lit a fire in your heart.
If this post resonated with you, I’d love it if you liked, subscribed or shared it with a friend who might need to hear it.
You’re never alone in this journey – and we all need reminders that our voice matters. ❤️
References:
King, M.L. Jr. (1963). I Have a Dream speech. GCSE Religious Studies curriculum (UK, 1990s-2000s) Personal educational experience of the author
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