When I write, I try to stay away from clichés. But what you resist persists, so instead of avoiding them, I'm learning everything I can about them. Did you know that William Shakespeare invented the cliché? Shakespeare died in 1616, and even now, 400 years later, his words live on — not just as dialog in his famous plays, but as the clichés we use in our daily conversations. Of course when he first wrote these phrases, they weren't clichés at all; they were fresh, relevant ways to express complicated ideas.

Dear President Obama, 

On your last night as our president, I want to thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for setting an example of humility, grace, class, temperament, leadership, and an inclusionary worldview. Despite being stymied by an obstructionist government you carried forward. Despite the vitriol, partisanship, and personal attacks, you continued to go high when they went low. You showed us that smart men marry smarter women and that being a father usurps the Presidency as the most important job in the world. 

This weekend we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, the only non-president to have a national holiday dedicated in his honor. It’s well deserved. In the 1960’s Dr. King led the struggle against racial discrimination. His dream was to use the rights of the Constitution to be a nation abiding by the words of the Constitution.  He inspired his supporters to use freedom of speech; the power of words not fists. He advocated non-violent protest —  even when the opposition was violent. His leadership of the Civil Rights Movement created huge gains for African Americans, but discrimination hasn't gone away.