Daily Lessons from Life 18-19 October 2013 - Malala reunited with Pakistan attack schoolfriends

Was tardy last night on blog posting due to a late meeting and the need to rest early for a 6.30 a.m. 20km training job this morning! "Malala reunited with Pakistan attack schoolfriends - AFP Oct 19, 2013 LONDON - Campaigning Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai was reunited on Saturday with two friends who were injured in the Taliban attempt to kill her. Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan met Malala during an event at Edinburgh University in Scotland, the first time they have seen her since the attack. A Taliban gunman boarded the girls' school bus in Pakistan's northwestern Swat Valley in October 2012 and opened fire at Malala to punish her for championing girls' rights to education. Malala, now 16, was shot in the head while Kainat and Shazia were both wounded in the crossfire. All three girls are now living and studying in Britain. Malala received medical treatment for her injuries at a British hospital. They were the guests of honour at the launch on Saturday of the Global Citizenship Commission, a body of leaders representing politics, religious institutions, law and philanthropy "After I was shot the terrorists thought that I would not continue the struggle for education, but not only did I not stop my campaign but now Kainat and Shazia are with me and they are also supporting me," Malala told the event. "They are not afraid, we are not afraid and now people are supporting us and that is the greatest courage, and that is the weapon that we have got, the unity and togetherness." Malala was also presented with an honorary masters degree from the university by former British prime minister Gordon Brown, who has backed her campaign. The event is the latest in a series to fete Malala's work. She went to Buckingham Palace on Friday to meet Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, while last week she met US President Barack Obama. Malala was among the favourites to win the Nobel Peace Prize this month, but she lost out to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons." A remarkable journey indeed. So much has been achieved by this young 16 years old. She has carried herself very well thus far. May the force be with her. Lessons for me are: 1. no one is born for greatness. However when extreme adversity happened upon you and you live to tell the tales courageously, you may be bound for greatness!; 2. Ms Malala by virtue of surviving the senseless and cowardice attack on an innocent and unarmed school girl, and courageously, albeit with a lot of well connected supporters, lived to tell her tales. This combination of the raw innocence and powerfully connected well wishers made for potent force to publicize and promote her. Hopefully, she is not 'corrupted' by all these overwhelming attention and distract her from her supposed calling - to fight for the rights of women in Pakistan and the Muslim world where some people are deliberately mis-quoting the religious teaching to perpetrate the dominance of the male spices!; 3. where does all these lead to? She mentioned she wants to be the President of Pakistan. That is good. It will need a lot more than just good intentioned Western supporters. It means acquiring the skills of a politician. Getting local political parties' supports. Maneuvering through the complicated and complex 'diverse interests' of a vast constituency, etc. It will be the true test of her resolve and her capability. So far she has shown great courage and composure addressing Presidents, Prime Ministers, royalties, etc. I think she has a good chance of realizing her dream. We shall know in another 5-10 years time?