Today is International Womens Day, a day for celebrating the social, economic and political achievements of women. It was first celebrated in 1911 when women in most parts of the world still had few rights.
Thinking about this reminded me of the many women I have known over the years who have impacted my own life because of their advocacy and social action. I would like to pay tribute to some of these women today.
There are those who lived in the past when it was not easy for women to speak out in society: – like Elizabeth Fry, the English Quaker who in the early 1800s became well known as a prison reformer and social activist. Another was Daisy Mae Bates, a controversial Irish Australian journalist who made a name for herself in late 19th century Australia as a welfare worker and lifelong student of Australian Aboriginal culture and society. She was known among the native people as ‘Kabbarli’ (grandmother). Still another is Gladys Aylward who became a missionary to China in spite of being rejected by the China Mission Center in London. In October of 1930 she set out from London with her passport, her Bible, her tickets, and two pounds ninepence, to travel to China by the Trans-Siberian Railway, despite the fact that China and the Soviet Union were engaged in an undeclared war. She is best known for her trek across the mountains with 100 Chinese children during the war, a story immortalized in The Inn Of the Sixth Happiness.
Others are women I know today whose lives continue to inspire and encourage me. Like Wangari Maathai an environmental and political activist who in 2004 became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” Another is Edith Yoder – Executive Director of Bridge of Hope an organization that works to end homelessness by surrounding single parent moms with a church support team.
Still others are women whose achievements will probably never be known by any but a small group of friends – like Heather and her husband Dennis who have founded a school in China close to the Mongolian border and Jocelyn Cowey in New Zealand who is one of the most hospitable people I have ever known and last but not least my mother whose quiet strength has always encouraged and supported me.
Then there is the young woman whose name I don’t even remember who worked alongside me in the refugee camps on the Thai Cambodian border as a Khymer medic. She had little training but her dedication and compassion not only impressed me but saved the life of many of her country men and women. I have met many others like her around the world who struggle to survive in a world that often abuses, overlooks and discriminates against them. Fortunately though I may not know their names I am sure that God never forgets who they are or the good contributions they have made to our world.
Some think that singling out women and their achievements like this is outdated and even obselete. I suspect they are unaware of how many women still struggle to treated as equals. I will never forget the Cambodian refugee who said to me “Your being here gives me hope that one day my daughters will have the same kind of freedom that you have.” The commemoration of a day like this which has fostered massive change, not only for women, but for children, the underprivileged and victims of discrimination still gives hope to those who long for freedom. Its achievements cannot be forgotten or taken for granted. While 60 per cent of the world’s poorest are female, 10 million more girls than boys do not attend primary school, and violence against women kills and injures as many women as cancer, International Women’s Day continues to be a relevant and vital encouragement toward liberation.
Filed under: gender issues, politics, women's issues | Tagged: Daisy Mae Bates, Elizabeth Fry, Gladys Aylward, International Women's Day, Wangari Maathai |
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A Tribute to Women – The Architects of Life
International Women’s Day – Commemorating;
Celebrating with Pride; Women, the Pride of the World
It is a great privilege and honor to express these few words of admiration and appreciation in honor of Women; the Pride of our Lives
Architects with Pride
Women are indeed the proud architects of Life
Guidance
Women provide immense guidance along every structure of life
Foundations
Women construct foundations that encompass virtues of the highest goodness for one and all meaningfully
Envisage; Vision; Wisdom
Women envisage their expectations manifesting with a vision of wisdom as only women can
Family; Passions
Women empower their Families; enabling them to re discover their passions in life meaningfully
Instrumental; Steps
Women perceive impediments as stepping stones to potential accomplishments
Hallmarks
Women sketch the hallmarks of time with heart prints of love that only women can
Women; Mothers
Women as Mothers are the epitome of divinity
Teacher; Imparting Values Based Principles Teachings
Women are amongst the the wisest of teachers
Legends; Centuries
Women are amongst the very greatest of legends since time immemorial
Intuitive – Insightful
Women are intuitive and insightful; articulating their notions intuitively
Eminent Reminder
Women thoughtfully remind us that the Soul characterizes the essence of life
Admiration
Women compliment each and every day of life, by defining the virtue of admiration eloquently; only as women can
Affection; Love & Respect
Women spend their lifetime showering immense affection to each and every aspect of life; only as women can
Appreciation
Women teach us to immensely appreciate and recognize of the phenomenal treasures of versatile abilities that we have been endowed with and to utilize these meaningfully
Beauty; Heart Perceiving
Women teach us to understand and recognize that the true beauty of life is not relating to the physical appearance; but to the beauty of the Heart
Compassion
Women enable us to perceive the purity of our hearts filled with compassion; to recognize the gentleness; the compassionate nature that dwells within
Consideration
Women teach us that consideration and thoughtfulness for others around us creates an incredible difference and impact in our lives as well
Creativity
Women encourage us to become more creative and explore our greater potentialities meaningfully whilst managing the certainties that dwell alongside
Courage
Women truly bring out the moral courage that resides within us magnificently
Determination
Women with their resilient attitude and determination show us that the endurance; the strength within us is inspired with an indomitable willpower
Encouragement; Meaningful Balance
Women encourage us to soar to reach the altitudes of meaningful objectives and accomplishments, whilst reminding us to simultaneously maintain our attention on the ascent to the pinnacle precariously; as well as ensuring our optimal balance is carefully maintained-sustained diligently
Faith
Women teach us to believe in our true selves with the purpose of accomplishing greater good for others and ourselves as well
Gratitude
Women teach us that gratitude is essentially a sign of nobility; the more grateful we are; the more meaningful we are; the more purposeful we are and the more responsible we are while gratefully acknowledging all that we have humbly; we are further equipped with more resourcefulness accordingly
Happiness
Women bring tremendous happiness to their families with their graceful and loving attitude always
Hope
Women inspire us to have hope; to trust and recognize its uniqueness
Inspiration
Women inspire us with their caring touch in every aspect of family upbringing; family evolution; nurturing each life preciously and adding meaningfulness to every aspect as only women can do
Intelligence
Women are intelligent and demonstrate their proficiency in being able to grasp and understand various aspects of life more meaningfully
Motivation
Women motivate us to recognize the value of each moment for what it signifies and to ensure that it is wisely invested in with a meaningful approach always
Noble
Women are noble and bring about remarkable changes in the World at every instance by truly winning the admiration and hearts of People always; Whenever any reference is attributed to Women, it is extended with the very highest Pride; Honor and Nobility
Passion
Women evoke us to instill a passion for appreciation of the very finest in life always and making us believe that we have what it takes to accomplish meaningful objectives
Peace
Women teach us that the theory of peaceful co existence; non violence in all forms of thoughts; speeches and actions is among the very most vital and essential ingredient of each an every aspect of life
Purposeful
Women are purposeful and thoughtfully express their perspective with a meaningful approach regarding various aspects of life
Virtues
Women are gifted with so many more wonderful and the very most finest virtues that they are always enriching each and every aspect of life meaningfully
To give an example
When we perceive the attitude; the compassion; the love and care; the gracefulness of Mothers; we are humbly appreciative; grateful; very most thankful and always Respectfully acknowledging the greatness of Mothers; Truly Mothers are the greatest gift of God
Teach
Mothers always teach us to appreciate what we have in life; to recognize the value of each and every aspect in life; to be appreciative; to be grateful; to be thankful and to meaningfully; purposefully and responsibly utilize each and every moment in life meticulously and very preciously
Mothers teach us that
Mothers teach us that grandeur; the beauty of life cannot be touched or experienced with our vision alone; it is the perception with our truly awakened heart; intellect; mind and soul that we are able to perceive the wonderfulness of this Universe and its magnificence
Mothers also teach us that
Mothers also teach us to have hope; courage and a vision; that when one avenue of happiness is bereft with impediments; there are always another avenues of meaningful happiness that are there in life provided of course that we take the meaningful; purposeful and responsible initiatives intelligently and spontaneously; while ensuring that no permission is given to any avenues that might be deviating from ethical practices; practicing and observance of a conventional protocol of good and responsible conduct and character always
Tribute to our Mothers
As a token of appreciation for the immense and very most valuable efforts that our Mothers take for us; we should always strive to accomplish and excel in our respective endeavors; taking care of our duties; our agendas; our assignments; our objectives; meaningfully; purposefully and responsibly always
Summarization
The above was a very brief admirable prelude since the greatness of Women could not be expressed in these few words alone
History; Women are Truly the Pride of our Lives
History is testament to the evidential factor that will always proudly express that Women are truly the Pride of our Lives always; and it is a privilege to acknowledge this with appreciation; utmost thanks and gratefulness
Appreciative
May One and All be Appreciative; Grateful and Thankful
Happiness
May Happiness be showered on One and All; May One and All be Healthy;
Love
May One and All be Loved & Respected; May One and All have Well-being
Mutual
May One and All realize that their Happiness is linked to others Happiness;
World
May One and All recognize that when the World is Happy, they are Happier;
Meaning
May One and All discover the true meaning of Life is that Life is Precious
Resourceful
May One and All be Resourceful & Talented; May One and All Achieve and Excel;
Considerate
May One and All be Considerate; Creative; Meaningful; Purposeful and Responsible;
Nature
May One and All Love Nature; The Environment & Humanity;
Respect
May One and All Respect One Another; May One and All Inspire One Another;
Meaningful
May One and All realize that they each have a very meaningful and special purpose in Life;
Gems
May One and All believe that they are the precious Gems of this Universe;
Life
May One and All realize that Life is Beautiful; Precious, Meaningful and Purposeful;
Symbol
May One and All be a Symbol of Gods Loving Love and Light; Radiating Joy for others;
Happiness
May One and All be Blessed with a Vision of Happiness, Prosperity, Progress and Wisdom always
Gratitude; Many Thanks
Thank you for your attention and good wishes; God Bless
Universal Appreciation; Happiness; Gratitude & Wisdom May
Universal Appreciation; Happiness; Consideration; Compassion; Respect; Peace; Love; Cooperation; Inspiration; Gratitude; Economic Development, Stability; Prosperity, Progress & Wisdom prevail always
Love & Light;
God Bless,
Vashi
©2009 Vashi Ram Chandi
Thanks for recognizing the strength and dignity of those women who will remain unseen, yet live as powerfully as those who get the recognition and awards!
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Christine – Thanks for sharing some inspirational stories about women throughout the years that have made such a difference in the world in both big and small ways.
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Thank you for shining a light on the unseen women, their strength, their faith, and their perseverance.
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christine – i am enjoying reading through these posts. i agree with you that there are some that go “come on, another women’s thing?” and while i respect that we have come along way, we have a long way to go. the disproportionate number of women living in poverty is one powerful example. your reminder of all of the women who are serving and loving people around the world against great adversity is important. may we keep working together in love toward equality for women everywhere…
l0O6Wu yes yes yes yes
You can definitely see your skills in the work you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. Always go after your heart.