“You will touch the hearts of many.”
I had a great time at the annual North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA) convention! It’s a chance to get together with first-generation and second-generation Taiwanese, to bond and to enlighten one another. This year’s theme focused on compassion.
Here a few highlights from the weekend:
- Margaret McCaffery (she fought against human trafficking and is now focused on a re-entry program for the ex-incarcerated). Her life is an inspiration of service, the latest of which is the Mustard Seed Project (http://www.soroptimistcoralgables.org/?q=node/35).I also loved the poem she shared from Jayne Brown called “Finding Her Here.” Here’s my favorite stanza:
I am becoming the woman I’ve longed for,
the motherly lover
with arms strong and tender,
the growing up daughter
who blushes surprises.
I am becoming full moons
and sunrises.
- Gerrit and Mei-chin van der Wees (they’re editors of the Taiwan Communiqué). After spearheading a consistent publication of 35 years, they’re finally retiring. The journal offers wonderful insight into Taiwan happenings over the past several decades. (www.taiwandc.org/twcom)
- Body Image Panel with Tammy Chang, Dr. Lisa Wang, and Dr. Sophia Yen (nutrition and fitness coach; psychiatrist; and pediatrician, respectively) They offered tips on how to deal with body image concerns for both young children and older adults. I loved their emphasis on the mind-body connection and how beauty is not just about physical appearance. I also heard about an exciting website that features strong and diverse female role models (http://www.sheheroes.org/).
Sounds wonderful. I would’ve loved to hear that last panel.
It was so informative, and all the grandmas in the audience were trying to up one another in the most unique questions to ask the experts!