Joseph Campbell believed that by looking inside yourself you can find answer for the meaning of life instead of searching outside of yourself. The path to our life is not laid out in front of us, rather it is you that with every step make your own path. Where you stumble and fall, there you will find your own path. The deeper power within you comes when life seems most challenging.
Malala Yousafzai did not see the walls, she saw the doors in midst of darkness. Her strength was her belief in her ability to change the world, a voice to the voiceless children, champion of education for all, committed to the rights of all children, women’s right and peace around the world. The bullet of terrorism changed and echoed to the ballot for women’s right. Seize opportunity when it comes. The power of creating war and selling guns should change to the power to provide peace and books to educate all as ignorance is not bliss but the ammunition for the fundamentalist. They say to “thrive, not merely survive.” But it is in the surviving that we are thriving. Yes, she survived and in surviving, she is thriving. Yes, She can…
Change, forgiveness and peace shaped Nelson Mandela. He told us that the empowerment of the ordinary people of our world to freely determine their destiny, unhindered by tyrants and dictators, bring long lasting effects to our society, which makes democracy prevail. We must attempt even the impossible as the word by itself says “I am possible”. He did not see walls when he was in Robben Island prison, he envisioned the doors of possibilities. He mentioned, “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.”
Aung San Suu Kyi did not see the walls when she was arrested for more than 20 years in house arrest. She saw possibilities. From Oxford university to house arrest and then to the world stage, she believed that freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up. The only real prison is fear and the only real freedom is freedom from fear. She considered four elements for success, a will to want something, a right attitude, perseverance in achieving the goal, and wisdom how to get it. She saw challenges as interesting things to help individual to become a better person. Where there were walls, the universe will put doors.
Freedom comes from within, you can feel free even in the Prison. Our hopes shape our choices, our ability to change ourselves, help us to change the world. As a wise person once said, “when you’re positive you see possibilities, and when you’re negative you see impossibilities. A pearl is made from something that pains the oyster, out of pain beauty is formed.” Let’s take the first step today together, instead of millennial, be perennial and the world of possibilities will become more visible in front of your eyes. Be the Change you want to see in the world, Change the BE.