Inspite of the adversities he's faced, the suffering and hardship, this incredible man gives us all reason to hope in the good of people. He is universally respected because few of us have ever witnessed such humility and magnanimity from a living being. You get the sense that he is one person who believes 100% in the values that he teaches, he leads by example and inspires everyone regardless of colour or creed.
There are a few things in this world that unite us all, whether you are in a small village in Tanzania, a city in Eastern Europe or an island in the Caribbean, one of those things is the music of Robert Nesta 'Bob' Marley, another is the universal admiration for Nelson Mandela. Regardless of the language you speak those are two things that will always transcend cultures.
It remains a mystery where Mandela finds his strength and resilience, but to hear him speak and reason, you can't help but think that he must be someone who spends time meditating or praying. How else is he able to be so calm, thoughtul and selfless even when the urge for anger, bitterness and revenge is so strong?
I may be alone in thinking this but I believe human beings are good at heart, in our core but our tendancy is to be selfish, there seems to be a natural urge to put ourselves before others. Perhaps this is part of our animal trait because ofcourse animals protect themselves first, before and sometimes at the expense of others. Mr Mandela however has time and again rejected the inward looking solution for one that helps and protects others including his people. Instead of feeling anger towards those who his people for decades and kept him imprisoned for 27 long years, he forgave them and agreed to share power with them. Rather than cling to power as so many leaders have done, he stepped down for the good of his country. Although Mandela was influenced by Mahatma Ghandi and his non-violent resistance methods, he was never afraid to speak out against those who supported the apartheid regime and call out the many who tried to hinder the peace process. Far from being a 'turn the other cheek' kind of leader, Mandela was never afraid to speak up and has done so on several occasions within and beyond South African politics.
What I find most inspirational about Nelson Mandela is his humility, he reminds us all that we are equally capable of greatness, simply by being good people who live by our values. His legacy is alive and will continue to resonate from one corner of the earth to the othe even after he has gone.
