I am without TV over the holidays. I catch the news once a day on NPR. This morning I woke to hear the sad news of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. I wondered if the difference she had made was worth her loss. I worried about her children who will be raised without a mother. I thought about it all day. And then I got a note from a young woman in my book club. I was glad to be able to share the disappointment and sadness at this great and tragic loss. This is what she wrote to me:

I am sure you the have heard of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto by now. To be honest I never thought her death would affect me this much. Growing up, I always admired her courage and audacity (I always wanted to be like her). She raised her voice and came to power in an country where a women's duty was to raise kids and obey her husband. It is sad to see a brave women like her gone.