Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham,
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lotta people, but it seems the good die young
But I just looked around and he's gone.

On Monday, we will pause to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. For many, it will be a Day of Service.

He taught that through nonviolence and service to one another, problems such as hunger and homelessness, prejudice and discrimination can be overcome. Dr. King’s teachings can continue to guide us in addressing our nation’s most pressing needs---poverty, economic insecurity, job loss and education.

The sixties were a turbulent time. There was a war overseas. There were battles at home about what equality means. Amidst the turmoil, there was idealism and a concern for fellow humans.

I was four years old when President Kennedy was assassinated and nine when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. I have very limited memories of this. Yet yesterday, I spent a little time gaining more perspective on the sixties.

Former Greenwich First Selectman Roger Pearson had considered running against Senator Dodd in a Democratic Primary. I had spoken with him early in the year about the issues that mattered to him in such a race. Then, around June we lost touch with one another. I figured it was mostly because of my busy life. Yet when Sen. Dodd decided not to run for re-election, I fired off an email to Mr. Pearson to ask for his comments. Yesterday, we spoke on the phone.

Mr. Pearson, speaking in a firm and clear but halting voice talked about his experiences. He remembered being in Washington DC when President Kennedy was shot, of visiting the Rotunda at three in the morning, of passing by the White House and seeing Secret Service officers standing with their bloodshot eyes.

We talked about the Great Society, the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. Mr. Pearson spoke about how he had always wanted to be a legislator. He spoke about his support for Congressman Himes and the difficulties Democrats have historically had in the district. Mr. Pearson spoke about the stroke he had recently had, and his recovery.

As I listened to him speak, I thought of StoryCorps. Mr. Pearson’s voice is a voice we need to hear in the upcoming elections. We need a reminder of the ideals we fought for in the sixties and to be reminded that we still should care for our neighbors as we sought to in the sixties.

So perhaps, we need more people going door to door in the coming elections, but these people should not be going door to door to try and swing voters one way or another or simply to encourage them to get out and vote.

No, we need to go to the doors of people like Mr. Pearson, to learn of our past and be inspired to make our society even greater.