Free to Choose

Last night I was able to meet with a group of friends of all ages and discuss our latest book club selection. We met without fear of recrimination and could talk about whatever came to our minds. Our recent book club selection is entitled "Veil of Roses" by Laura Fitzgerald. It chronicles the efforts of a young Iranian woman seeking to get married and stay in the United States. She is torn by a love of her own country and by a desire to by happy. The story is fiction but based on some actual occurances. Can you imagine living in a country where you must cover yourself or be beaten, arrested or worse. What about being arrested for any slight infraction with no leniency? The mother of this woman was arrested and placed in jail for 5 months. It is written that this completely broke her spirit. She does not speak of what happened during those 5 months. There are so many places where every word must be measured and uttered with extreme caution. We are allowed freedom of speech and people pretty much say whatever they want to without fear of arrest. A young women is raped and she is hanged. After all surely it was her fault that she was raped. The man responsible gets a beating, he gets to stay alive!
There is no justice for women in such a country. Opportunities for work that you love are inconceivable. Marriages are arranged. As a mother of daughters, it gives me great anxiety and pain to know that women are mistreated in so many places all over the globe. We always told our children that they could accomplish anything. One hears so many complaints about our government, yea it is not always great, however, think of the alternative. We are privileged beyond measure, the only thing that gets in our way is usually ourselves. When you have a coulda, shoulda, woulda kind of day...think about what's holding you up...ego, fear, what? You probably won't get arrested (unless you are clearly breaking the law). You and I, we are free to choose...so many things...so many choices...what a blessing!