The Women Who Inspired Me

           I am not a girl not yet a woman. That's what Britney Spears said. I'm not beautiful, rich, wise or smart. But, I think, I'm a good person. And I would never realize  if God didn't help me see some inspirational words from women. Well, actually the best inspirational woman in my life is my mom. But, I think it won't be enough on this page to explain how she has changed my life.
These are some women who inspired me... (I hope I can be a woman like them)

# R.A Kartini
          Kartini has inspired me to be an independent and an educated woman. Kartini, (April 21, 1879–September 17, 1904), was a prominent Javanese and an Indonesian national heroine. Kartini is known as a pioneer in the area of women's rights for native Indonesians.She was born into an aristocratic Javanese family in a time when Java was still part of the Dutch colony, the Dutch East Indies. Kartini's father, Raden Mas Sosroningrat, became Regency Chief of Jepara, and her mother was Raden Mas' first wife, but not the most important one. At this time, polygamy was a common practice among the nobility.
          Kartini's family allowed her to attend school until she was 12 years old. Here, among other subjects, she learnt to speak fluent Dutch, an unusual accomplishment for Javanese women at the time. After she turned 12 she was 'secluded' at home, a common practice among Javanese nobility, to prepare young girls for their marriage. During seclusion girls were was not allowed to leave their parents' house until they were married, at which point authority over them was transferred to their husbands. Kartini's father was more lenient than some during his daughter's seclusion, giving her such privileges as embroidery lessons and occasional appearances in public for special events.
          During her seclusion, Kartini continued to educate herself on her own. Because Kartini could speak Dutch, she acquired several Dutch pen friends. One of them, a girl by the name of Rosa Abendanon, became her very close friend. Books, newspapers and European magazines fed Kartini's interest in European feminist thinking, and fostered the desire to improve the conditions of indigenous women, who at that time had a very low social status.
          Kartini's parents arranged her marriage to Raden Adipati Joyodiningrat, the Regency Chief of Rembang, who already had three wives. She was married on the 12 November 1903. This was against Kartini's wishes, but she acquiesced to appease her ailing father. Her husband understood Kartini's aims and allowed her to establish a school for women in the east porch of the Rembang Regency Office complex. Kartini's only son was born on September 13, 1904. A few days later on September 17, 1904, Kartini died at the age of 25. She was buried in Bulu Village, Rembang.

"Kata "Aku tiada dapat!" melenyapkan rasa berani. Kata "aku mau!" membuat kita mudah mendaki puncak gunung." - R.A Kartini

"Adakah yang lebih hina, daripada bergantung kepada orang lain!" - R.A Kartini

"Teruslah bermimpi, teruslah bermimpi, bermimpilah selama engkau dapat bermimpi! Bila tiada bermimpi, apakah jadinya hidup! Kehidupan yang sebenarnya kejam" - R.A Kartini

"Lebih banyak kita maklum, lebih kurang rasa dendam dalam hati kita, semakin adil pertimbangan kita dan semakin kokoh dasar rasa kasih sayang. ....... tiada mendendam, itulah bahagia." - R.A Kartini

# Oprah Winfrey
          Oprah has opened my mind that success can be achieved with a hard work, bravery, and confidence.

          Oprah Gail Winfrey is a producer, publisher, book critic, actress, and international celebrity. She is popular with her talk show named 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'. Oprah was born on January 29, 1954 on the family farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Her dad, Vermon Winfrey, who was stationed as a solider at a local base; and her mother, Vernita Lee, were both young at the time of Oprah's birth. Her parents never married. Shortly after she was born her mother found a job, as a maid, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oprah was left in the care of her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee.

           As a child Oprah never wasted a minute of her young imaginative mind on something that seemed to be boring. Through her early years her only friends were the farm animals. She gave them parts in the plays she made and included them in games.

           Oprah enjoyed bringing her recitals to life. Once she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she answered without hesitation, "I want to be paid to talk." At home Oprah was forbidden to talk around adults. Oprah found it hard to understand this, because everyone wanted to hear her talk. She was so talkative and lively all the time. When she disobeyed, Oprah would be whipped. Oprah remembers that she'd whip her dolls the same way her grandmother whipped her.

           Hattie Mae read to Oprah and taught her how to recognize letters and sounds. At three Oprah could read. She also learned how to write. On the first day of kindergarten she wrote, "Dear Miss New, I do not think I belong her." She was moved to the first grade, and at the end of the year she was skipped to the third grade.

           At age six Oprah was sent to live with her mother in Milwaukee. They lived in one room of another woman's house. Her mother worked long, tiring hours and Oprah was left with her cousins, and neighbors. At night Oprah's mother was too tired to pay attention to her. Oprah didn't understand this. It was then that she began to disobey and talk back to her mother. Her mother knew Oprah was unhappy, and she was sent to live with her father in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was now married to Zelma, Oprah's stepmother.

Oprah knew that she had to obey her father and stepmother. While living in Nashville Oprah was forced to do pages of addition and subtraction questions each day. One day, Oprah's mother called and told her that she was pregnant. She wanted Oprah to come back and live with her in a house, not a room. So Oprah went back to live with her mother in Milwaukee.

           In Milwaukee Oprah lived with her mother and half sister. While Oprah's mother worked long, hard hours, Oprah entertained her little sister. Two years later her mother had a baby boy. Oprah had a stepbrother. It was then that Oprah was saddened, she felt that her mother didn't give her as much attention as the other children. Oprah fought with her stepbrother and sister. She began telling lies to get what she wanted. It didn't work though. This was when Oprah began to attempt running away. Oprah thought that things could never get worse.

           When Oprah was nine, a nineteen year old male cousin, who was babysitting her, took advantage of her by sexually abusing her. Oprah was terrified and never told a sole. He took her to the zoo, and gave her ice cream so that she'd swear to silence. From then until the day that Oprah left Milwaukee she was raped by her cousin, a family friend, her mom's live in boyfriend, and a once favorite uncle. All four told her that if she ever told, they'd both be in a lot of trouble. Oprah became more of a problem, and her mother didn't know what to do with her anymore. At fourteen her mother looked into sending her to a girls home, but all the beds were full. Then her father called, and it was decided that she'd go back to Nashville.

           The last year of high school brought a lot of fulfillment to Oprah, she went to Hollywood where she saw production studios. When her drama class was rehearsing, a local radio station, WVOL, asked her if she'd like to read on the radio. They gave her a job reading the news. Oprah entered a public speaking contest that had a scholarship to Tennessee State University as a grand prize. She won the scholarship and started taking a degree in Speech Communications and Performing Arts. That year she worked at the radio station and studied at night. Despite all of this she entered the Miss Black Tennessee contest, and, once again, she surprised herself by winning.

           At age nineteen Oprah finally accepted the job and went to the interview pretending that she was Barbara Walters. Oprah worked late into the night studying for college. She carried out her work on television pretending that she was Barbara Walters until one day she just started to laugh in the middle of the broadcast. Her boss was not impressed.

           In 1981 Oprah sent "People Are Talking" tapes to a talk show in Chicago called "A.M. Chicago." They immediately offered her the job, and in September of 1985 they changed the name of the show to "The Oprah Winfrey Show." On September 8, 1986 the show was broadcasted nationally. In June of 1987 "The Oprah Winfrey Show" won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Host, and Outstanding Talk/Service Program. The following year the show won a Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Talk/Service Program. In 1988 Oprah received the International Radio and Television Society's "Broadcaster of the Year" Award. She is the youngest person and fifth woman to ever receive this award.

           Oprah was the first person to run her own show and own her own production company. When Oprah's manager/partner/lawyer told her, "You know, you could own your own show" she thought he was crazy. Oprah didn't think that it was possible, and she told him to, "dream on." Oprah bought HARPO productions because she wanted more control over herself, and her lifestyle.

           Oprah remembers standing on her grandmother's porch and thinking, not out of hatred, "My life won't be like this. My life won't be like this, it will be better." Oprah recalls her father being very strict, but today she loves him for it. She says he was a big influence in her life. He always wanted Oprah to make the best of her life, and he wouldn't accept anything less than her best.

           Oprah knows that as long as she is making a difference in people's lives she will continue with her show. She started out as a determined little girl who made her dreams come true. Oprah has become a financially successful woman. She has touched many people's lives; she's laughed and cried with them. Today she mentors millions of people worldwide. Her dreams came true because she took a risk, by leaving school and taking a job as a news reporter in Chicago.

"My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment." -- Oprah Winfrey

"Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure." -- Oprah Winfrey

"The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams." -- Oprah Winfrey 

# Anne Frank
        Anne is a girl who has encouraged me to write. Yeah, I like writing, especially on my green diary.

          Anne Frank was a Jewish girl, born June 12, 1929, and lived through the time that Hitler was ruling Germany. Her family escaped to the Netherlands, to start a new life where they could do what they wanted. She had a father, mother, and a sister that was three years older than her. She was in the Netherlands at the time she celebrated her 13th birthday. On that day she received the best present anyone could give her...a diary.

          Anne had dreams of becoming a writer, and was delighted with her gift. Instead of writing "Dear Diary", like anyone else would, she named her diary. She wrote to Kitty...as she called her diary.

On the first page of her diary she wrote this: 

I hope I shall be able to confide in you completely, as I have never been able to do in anyone before, and I hope that you will be a great support and comfort to me.

Anne Frank

          She continued writing in her diary two days later. She wrote in it for over two years. That diary became one of the most published books ever, and had been translated into over 60 different languages.

Anne had many friends in the Netherlands, and she played with them every day. Her friends and she played pranks on other residents, like pouring water on their head from a building above.

          Then Hitler and the Nazis invaded and took over the Netherlands. The Jews had to wear a special star, so everyone could see who they were, and they had new rules to live by. They weren't allowed to do much of anything that they used to be able to. They even had a curfew. The Frank family continued on with their lives until Margot was ordered to go to a concentration camp. The family went into hiding in the attic above Otto Frank's office. They had friends bring them food and keep them hidden. The only people who knew about the hiding place were Victor Kugler, Johannes Kleiman, Miep Gies, and Bep Voskuijl. They didn't want anyone to find them, so they had to keep extra quiet. They shared the attic also, so it was very crowded. Anne mostly wrote in her diary. They had to keep the windows blacked out; their only sunlight was a skylight that Anne would spend hours looking out of. She hated being trapped in that small space. On September 28, 1942 she wrote: I can't tell you how oppressive it is never to be able to go outdoors, also I am very afraid that we will be discovered and shot. Anne spent a lot of time with Peter Van Pel, a boy that was in hiding with her. They became very close. The last entry Anne wrote in her diary was on August, 1, 1944. Three days after this was written, the German police found their hiding place, and they were taken to concentration camps. The diary was left behind. Margot and she were forced to work horrible jobs, such as smashing batteries. The acid burned her fingers. About one month before the Jews were freed Anne died of typhus. Margot die.

"Whoever is happy will make others happy, too." - Anne Frank

"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" -  Anne Frank

"I don't think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains." -  Anne Frank