Runes for Malala

Two weeks ago, I wrote a Runes 201 entry about Tiwaz, the warrior Rune.  In that post, I expressed what a warrior is - essentially, someone who stands up for others, for what is right and just, and for him/herself.  Having written that though, I have always struggled to identify a true warrior or hero like that.  Without fail, when people have asked me who my heroes are, who I admire, I have come up largely empty.  There are some people I respect and whose efforts and accomplishments I appreciate, but a hero?  A true warrior?  Honestly, I've never had one, until now.

The day after I wrote about Tiwaz, after I explained what a real warrior is, an amazing young woman (only 14-years-old), named Malala Yousafzai, was shot in the head in Pakistan by members of the Taliban.  They shot her, because she was an activist for the rights of girls to get an education.

After surgery to remove the bullet, she was stabilized, then flown to a hospital in England to receive specialized care her recovery requires.  I learned last night that, though she is still not "out of the woods", Malala is standing, writing, and snuggling a teddy bear.  This girl is my hero.  She epitomizes a real warrior.  She is standing up for girls everywhere, fighting for what is fair and just - namely their right to an education - and, most importantly, she is standing up for herself both literally in recovering from the attempt on her life and figuratively in fighting for her right to attend school.

So today, for Malala, for my hero, and for standing up to injustice, I give you these three Runes:

Eihwaz - the Rune of the yew tree, of stability and toughness; it comes in handy in battle

Dagaz - the Rune of day, of clarity, and awareness; it sheds light on issues to educate

Hagalaz - the Rune of hail, of creative and destructive forces, and a new phase; it depicts a reality where things that are bad, initially, improve and progress positively


Thank you, Malala, for being a true warrior.