Ana's Thought: "Heaven or Hell is a choice inside you."
In my life, I have seen many days of sweetness - golden days of travel, of art, and of expressing my soul in the company of loved ones and strangers alike. I am eternally grateful for this, as I have also known a world of limited freedom. My childhood saw many moments in which my rights and my passions were threatened, but I was granted the strength, support, and good fortune to overcome. But there are so many who have never known such joy.
In recent weeks, India has seen tremendous unrest resulting from sustained and unimaginable horrors committed against women. Thousands have come together in order to let their voices ring on behalf of those who could not speak in their own defense. Through the efforts of organizations like the Human Rights Watch and brave leaders like Meenakshi Ganguly, the world has taken notice. Though humanity extends its reach toward equality ever further, we cannot ignore how much work remains to be done. The stage is now set for much-needed change.
When I hear stories of women silenced by intimidation--women who have not yet been granted light enough to shine--my soul is stirred beyond my words. Through the darkness of their circumstances, I see in each of these women potential that cannot be fathomed. We simply cannot allow those glimmers of promise to be snuffed out. As a global community, we must ensure that they will illuminate the world with their perspectives by providing them with security and the means for achievement.
There is more to Love than romantic bonds just as Peace means more than the absence of war. I implore all who dream of a world where no one lives in the shadows of oppression to make Love & Peace actions in their daily lives. Invite understanding and compassion into your heart so that it may be shared with others; your heart, your soul, your eyes, and your mind are the Divine gifts you have been given to create positivity within the Universe.
No woman should have to live in fear of a world capable of so much beauty. May we choose to defy violence and embrace all women as sisters, mothers, daughters, and indeed rulers of the world, as they share in wisdom and knowledge equal to any man.