I truly enjoy reading about the lives and accomplishments of women who see a cause or a need and do something to change a situation for the better. These are the wise women who have come before us and made a difference - some have acted alone and some created a worldwide movement.
Can one woman make a difference – a woman just like you or me? Yes! I’ve found that one woman can make a difference when she believes the cause is great enough or the need big enough. Take for example the story of Nobel Prize winners Betty Williams and Mairead Maguire. Two women who did not know each and through a tragic circumstance became united by a common cause and eventually worked together to change a country.
It all began in August of 1976 in when Betty Williams witnessed three children killed by an IRA fugitive fleeing from police. Betty Williams was terrified by what she saw and decided to take action to end the violence in Northern Ireland and to help make the streets safer for the children. Within two days of the incident, Ms. Williams had 6,000 signatures from Irish citizens protesting the violence and asking for peace.
The campaign for peace carried across the entire country. Under her leadership, Betty Williams organized a march to the graves of the slain children. Protestant and Catholic mothers marched together to protest the violence in their country and the killing of innocent children. On the first day, the march was broken up by the IRA and the participants scattered in fear. Ms. Williams would not be stopped. She organized another march and 35,000 Irish mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters turned out to march for peace in Northern Ireland.
Betty Williams began working with Mairead Maguire, the aunt of the slain children, and formed an organization called the Community of the Peace People. For their efforts, Ms. Williams and Ms. Maguire were awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize for their peace efforts in Ireland.
I’ll ask again, can one woman make a difference? We don’t have to win a Nobel Peace Prize to make a difference – we just have to find a cause or need that is close to our hearts. What can you do to support your community and change lives for the better?
- Help young and teenage children in need.
- Help out a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
- Help clean up a city park or street to build a safe playground.
- Help out at a local animal shelter or start your own shelter for abused animals.
- Help the elderly and infirmed with meals or make the time to care enough to sit and listen to their stories.
Yes, one woman can make a difference – and it begins with you!
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Sharon Recommends
If you'd like to read more about Betty Williams and Mairead Maguire, I found a book on Amazon.com you may be interested in - here is an offsite link to Amazon.com: Mairead Corrigan, Betty Williams
Disclosure: As an affiliate of Amazon.com I will get paid on any purchase of this product from the links within this article.
