Take a minute to reflect on where you stand in life. You are a college woman working towards a job in a law firm, becoming the next Oprah or finding the cure for cancer. You are probably preparing for summer, whether it’s taking advantage of an internship or lying on a beach. The possibilities are endless; your capabilities are limitless—you have the chance to go wherever you want and do whatever you want. As St. Bonaventure women, we’re expected to exceed above and beyond our threshold of comfort and apply our inner potential to something extraordinary.
Now take a step back and hold the world at arm’s length. Does every woman in the world have these opportunities? Does every girl have the chance to acquire a high school degree? Is every girl aware of her inner capacity to contribute to the global society and make a difference? Is every girl aware of her worth, of her opportunities in life or of what lies beyond the horizon? The answer is unfortunately, no.
According to the 2012 EFA Global Monitoring Report, 66 million girls are currently unable to attend school globally. Of the girls who are privileged enough to attend school, their numbers are still significantly lower than the number of boys in attendance. Statistics show that education truly makes a difference in the outcome of a woman’s life. If a girl cannot acquire even the most basic skills and knowledge, she will be limited in the possible directions her life can take. Girls are more likely to marry at a young age if they are not able to spend their childhood years in school. Also, they will be able to provide their children with a better lifestyle and more opportunities if they have been educated and were able to pursue better career options.
I recently watched a documentary titled “Girl Rising.” Girl Rising is a movement advocating for girls’ education and human rights. Despite the modern developments of equal opportunity and women’s rights, we are still hindered in our ability to prove our worth to the global society. We are still considered incompetent and limited, misconceptions that we must eradicate through our inspiration for action. The documentary was created to help spread awareness of the issue and inform the world of obstacles that must be addressed and overcome. Girls who were suffering from poverty, sexual violence, oppression and slavery gave various perspectives. The film not only offered us an eye-opening revelation, but also illustrated the strength and perseverance of these girls. While many women around the world are unable to experience the opportunities that we constantly take for granted, they still find reasons to wake up in the morning and appreciate even the menial things in life.
The determination and optimism exhibited by these girls are lessons we can adapt in our lives. We constantly encounter lectures from our parents about how blessed we are or from our professors about how millions of girls yearn to attend school while we’re contemplating waking up for our 8:30 a.m. class. However, take a moment to appreciate what is around you. While you’re walking to class one day, think about the millions of girls who could also be walking in your footsteps. Think of the girls who would sell everything they own to learn multiplication tables, to read and write, to solve an equation. I truly admire these girls for not letting their limitations hinder them from their ambitions and for teaching us the importance of rising from the baseline that stereotypes have set for us.
Education is precious. The work is tedious, the amount of stress is abominable, but our future success is rewarding in unimaginable ways. We should always take the time to appreciate how far we’ve come and the direction that we are moving, because every step makes a difference.
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