How to Use Grief to Change the World

A father who lost his three daughters to Middle East violence has turned this tragedy into change for the region. Last night, I was part of The Daughters for Life Gala fund raiser which educates middle eastern girls here in Canada. The belief is that these women will change the region's attitudes to hatred and genders.

Jacoline Loewen, Daughters for Life Gala

What a steep hill Izzeldin Abuelaish has chosen to climb.
Izzeldin says it was the death of his daughters which pushed him to create change. The women at my table agreed that to push on after such a loss due to a bombing, was remarkable.
We then listened to the scholarship winners all in STEM studies at Canadian Universities. These young women travelled to Canada to go through university programs donated by Brock, Trent, Laurier and York. They each made us laugh, cry and understand that maybe, just maybe, this intervention would be a keystone to changing the whole Middle East.
I just know that if one of those girls was my daughter, I would be very proud of her. I also believe that each of these girls will indeed make a big difference.
Then Izzeldin gave Margaret Atwood a Lifetime Achievement award.  Margaret epitomizes what one woman can achieve. Her book The Handmaiden's Tale did inspire me to move beyond my original life goal to be a good wife and to get an MBA and get into the male area of business - finance.
Margaret Atwood's speech was a reminder of how far I personally have journeyed while reading her books all the way.

Daughters for Life Lifetime Award Recipient

When I - at first read Atwood - I did so reluctantly. Atwood was holding up a picture of Canadian society that I did not want to acknowledge. She also showed females in not always a positive light, showing our deepest fears and pain in our relationships. Such disappointments because of our place in society. She really spelt out for me that I needed to change and to take the harder road. I learnt through her novels how women needed to get their own income and it did inspire me to have a good career. Through out most of my adult life, Margaret has inspired me. My book club is currently reading Alias Grace and I look forward to our discussion, but my best book of hers is Oryx and Crake, a Booker Prize winner.
This evening, Margaret reminded us how far Canada has come in its gender roles. She told us that early in her career she was advised to stop her scribbling and find a good husband. She did not stop her scribbling and she did find a good man though - Graham Greene, her partner for decades. I am thankful she did find true love and she shared her views so bravely.