Ms. Yousafzai

Hearing that Malala Yousafzai had received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 filled me with absolute joy! This young woman is such an amazing example of what a passion driven life can look like. I remember watching a Jon Stewart interview with Ms. Yousafzai about a year ago and tearing up while she spoke about crusading with peace.

Yes, her passion is education - she has a desire to secure an education for all young people and to call a halt to the suppression of children. She is driving her passion filled battle with intelligence and love. That is what makes her fight so powerful. 

“Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him [referring to the member of the Taliban that shot her in October of 2012]. This is the compassion I have learned from Mohamed, the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of nonviolence that I have learned from Gandhi, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learned from my father and my mother. This is what my soul is telling me: Be Peaceful and Love Everyone.”  ~Malala Yousafzai

The names she ‘drops’ here all come from different religions, different regions, different walks of life and are generally not thought of as similar or congruent. Ms. Yousafzai reminds us though that each of the leaders she mentions are fighters for peace - through peace – with peace and she will follow their lead.

She is awe inspiring to me.  To hit someone with a shoe when you want peace just doesn’t make much sense. 

Congratulations, Malala Yousafzai! You are leaving a legacy to be proud of.