Robert Frost wrote about the road less travelled.Halfway around the globe, in a part of a strife-torn world notorious for interracial hatred that has endured for millennia, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish vowed to take that road.The Palestinian medical doctor had all the excuse anybody would need to hate. Three of his daughters were killed in an Israeli tank attack during the Gaza War, moments after he left the room where they died.Instead of despising people he has never met, Dr. Abuelaish vowed to honour the memory of his daughters by opposing hatred, particularly between Palestinians and Israelis.The Nobel Peace Prize nominee does it by preaching compassion and understanding in speaking engagements all over the world. His most recent presentation appropriately happened last week at Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School, named for a Canadian peacekeeper slain while serving his country in the former Yugoslavia.The evening before a Comox Valley Community Justice Centre conference titled Apology and Forgiveness: Moving Forward on a Path of Healing, Abuelaish spoke to a large crowd that gave him its complete, respectful attention.Although people in the rear of the audience might have wondered if the guest speaker had a bad cold, those closer to the stage could see the tears flowing down his face as he spoke.Even after speaking many times, the memory of a life filled with discrimination, hardship and outright tragedy still weighs heavily on this inspirational man.His heart-rending story earns him the attention of his audiences. His thoughtful, compassionate and hopeful message sinks into his listeners and hopefully inspires them to follow his example.And what an example. Practising what he preaches, Abuelaish treated Israeli patients without regard to their race. Can the rest of us with less cause hate any less than him?To learn about his Daughters for Life Foundation, visit www.daughtersforlife.com.editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com

Comox Valley Record