Role Model. Champion. Ordinary Girl.

i am malala

Like many teenagers, she spends her days on Facebook and Twitter in between her classes at school. She pokes fun at her younger brother. She laughs at The Minions. She thinks Brad Pitt is handsome.

She considers herself to be an ordinary girl. An ordinary girl who fights the Taliban. Even when they tried to kill her.

Born in 1997, Malala Yousafazai, spent most of her childhood in Swat Valley, Pakistan. He father operated a school not far from the family’s home, and strongly believed in the power of all children earning a good education. Malala inherited her father’s passion for learning, and as a young teenager, she wrote for a blog anonymously about the importance of education for girls everywhere.

The Taliban is a group of fundamentalist Sunni Muslim militants live near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.  This group has killed, terrorized, and tortured those who do not subscribe to their beliefs. The Taliban is strongly antagonistic toward American and NATO forces in Afghanistan and has killed and threaten to kill those who support the work of the United States.

One day in 2012 as Malala was on her way home from school, she was shot defending the rights of girls everywhere. She simply wanted an education and she wanted the same for others.  Continue reading

It’s My Cancerversary

Over the past year, I’ve found myself thinking about what I was doing, thinking, and how I was feeling this time last year. As I’ve learned and grown a lot over the past months, I decided that the more I reflect, the more I want to share about my experiences.

January 31, 2013 was the day I was officially diagnosed with thyroid cancer. It’s not a day that I feel the need to celebrate, and frankly, it’s one that could make me reach for an extra pump of syrup in my coffee. This year, while my diagnosis day came and went, there is a day I feel the need to celebrate — JUNE 26!!!! That’s officially the day I became “cancer free.” While I don’t usually like labels, I’ll wear this one with pride!

The entire month of June, I am going to run posts from my cancer experience. During the time I was ill, I blogged on the CaringBridge website. Incidentally, if you or anyone you know is facing a health challenge, this website is a great tool of communication. That time was a great time of self discovery for me and I enjoy looking back and admiring my strength and courage.

And about said strength and courage…I was scared. Even looking back now, I have no clue how I was able to sound so confident. But God.

I hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane with me. And I hope it blesses you or someone you know.