“A day on, not a day off.” We have all heard this saying seemingly every year since Martin Luther King Day was declared a national holiday and day of service in 1994. The idea of a day of service, one when everyone chips in some time to better the community, seems fitting for a day honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. He once said: “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve.”

I understand the meaning behind this particular day devoted to service; however, the more I witness the ongoings of Martin Luther King Day, the more I wonder whether the day’s original purpose has backfired on itself. Many people perform charitable deeds (i.e. making sandwiches for the homeless) for an hour or two on the day itself. Unfortunately, upon completing their day of service for the year, many will then go back to their normal lives for the next 364 days. While this type of service is by no means fruitless, it should not be the only service that we give.

I wonder whether this was the service that King had in mind when he preached action and proclaimed “anybody can serve?” Was doing something without passion for one day a year what King died for? It is true King was a generous man who most likely would have valued whatever service people contributed, but his memory deserves more, and our world deserves more. King understood the value of service, which is why he preached it so often; however, it is becoming more apparent that as King’s legacy grows older, the service aspect of his day becomes more forgotten. Community service driven by interest and passion as opposed to simply feeling an obligation due to the day being a “day of service,” is something I find is truly worthy of King’s pride.

Unfortunately, the problem is bigger than just the mindset many have on the day of service. While simply not understanding the importance of service is one thing, I find the lack of people contributing anything at all more concerning.

A troubling survey conducted by Bloomberg found that only 37 percent of businesses in the United States closed or gave a paid leave for Martin Luther King Day in 2016. While that number seems shockingly low, it is actually an all-time high for the United States. This is a day, a national holiday nonetheless, where people are supposed to take a break from their ordinary lives and contribute to someone else’s, yet 63 percent of businesses are denying their employees that opportunity. While the number of businesses giving a paid leave for their employees is at an all time high, the number itself should be much higher before we can be content with it.

Perhaps a reason why many turn a blind eye on Martin Luther King Day is due to the fact that many believe that America has achieved King’s dream of equality. A 2011 Pew Research Center poll found that over half the nation believed that we had achieved racial equality in the United States, while another 23 percent believed we had progressed towards it.

Simply believing that America has achieved King’s dream of racial equality is a poor excuse to ignore the purpose of the day. The day is more than just trying to achieve racial equality, but to honor the legacy of a man who has affected the lives of millions by serving, whether it be through community service, or through other means personal to the individual.

King didn’t want people to “serve” for a set chunk of time one day a year and then for them to feel satisfied when that time had elapsed. So don’t lose sight of the day’s real goal: an endless fight to make a difference. Treat everyday like it is a day on, not a day off.

“The time is always right to do what is right.” -Martin Luther King Jr.