Women of the World: You Are Never Alone

posted on: Mar 8, 2017

BY: Leila Diab/Contributing Writer

During the month of March, the enduring spirit of women in all realms of society will be echoing with words of the world’s praises for their achievements, especially on March 8, the United Nations designated day of international solidarity with women.

For decades, and now in the 21^st century, there have been numerous achievements, confrontations, and conflicts in the world, where women sacrificed their lives to overcome the pivotal cycle of injustice and violence in their lives. In many cases, women must act alone to fight injustice, but they do so with their will power to be free and strive for future success.

However, during days of massive marches that began in January 2017 in Washington, DC, throughout the United States, and around the world, one can only marvel at the phenomenal action and voices of women, men and children who were triumphant in letting it be known that the struggles and rights of women deserve to be heard and solved with moral convictions.

Every woman has a story to tell with a capable vision of herself, regardless of any debilitating, unjust, or immoral circumstance in her life. But who will stand by her side and listen?

For example, how many people have known or witnessed women in occupied Palestine, Middle Eastern refugee camps, Africa, India, Standing Rock, and so on, who were courageous, fearless and brave in their resistance to the test of time’s inhumane tragedies of famine, diseases, and torture, coupled with scapegoating the reality of feudal addictions of absurd untruths, hate, bigotry, and racism?

Women are half of the world’s population and they too shall rise, time and time again, to achieve equality and a dignified place in a world without racial color or religious and ethnic boundaries.

Among many culturally diverse women in the world, Palestinian and African women continue to exemplify their national ethnic heritage by wearing their regions or villages traditional dresses with handmade embroidered designs to proclaim their proud national identity and existence. This women’s history month, they do not stand alone with their vision or complacency to be recognized.

These women stand with strong acknowledgement of achievements and words of honorable praises for fellow women, who continue to overcome the pitfalls of life with a mindset that they can accomplish anything with love, kindness, and knowledge.

During Women’s History Month, it is also important to, “Listen to women when she looks at you, not when she talks to you,” as the Lebanese philosopher Kahlil Gibran once said. Universal facial expressions speak volumes to understanding her pain, suffering, joy, love, and happiness.

Most auspiciously, global women with a positive demeanor of character, regardless of their hardships or dire needs in life, always manage to accomplish extraordinary feats. They also sing compassionate and warmhearted songs to the tune of their life’s desires, artistic dreams, love, faith, hopes, homeland or struggles in life.

For example, Palestinian and Lebanese songs of lemons, figs, and pomegranate trees, Al Quds (Jerusalem), mothers, Ahteeni nah wa gunnni (give me the flute and sing), the right to return to their homeland, glory days of family and friends, love, and Salam dear Lord, to name a few, are mirrors to their soul. Women singing and dancing to the cycle of life navigates their soulful balance of mind, body, and spirit to carry on.

This year, Women’s History Month will be celebrated with several timely events worldwide in poetry, plays, music, dancing, and songs that acknowledge the achievements of women who made a difference in the world, as well as all the silent and unheard voices of courageous women who were the guiding light of hope for their families, freedom, and equality, against all odds.

A woman’s love “has the hands to help others,” according to Saint Augustine. This love will stand up for the righteous and dignified truth of their gender’s universal freedoms and significance in the world, as well as others.

This March, now more than ever is a time to pay tribute to women with an incredibly unwavering style of hope, equality, and endurance all over the world. We must continue to unite our efforts and voices not just to sing their praises, but to let them know they are never alone on their long journey for human equality, justice, and freedom.

Women of the world, I salute you!