“Nothing is black or white.”
“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
“In my country we go to prison first and then become President.”
“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
“One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.”
“I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.”
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.”
“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
“Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.”
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.”
― Nelson Mandela
Today is Nelson Mandela International Day. It is his 94th birthday and in South Africa, we are asked to dedicate 67 minutes of our time, whether it’s supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community, to celebrate the 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. I have dedicated this page to his words because he is probably one of the most humble men our world has ever known. For me it is a time for reflection on what is right and what is wrong, what we need to do to make our world a better place.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Humility for me includes:
Unconditional love;
Admitting your mistakes;
Making amends when they are due;
Finding the courage to face fears;
Having a clear conscience;
Being free of resentments;
Accepting that you are human and no better than anyone else;
Tolerance of other people's shortcomings and a respect for their opinions;
Praying for those who show hostility for they do not understand.
A plaque found on Dr Bob’s desk, Dr Bob being one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, quoted the following:
“Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, or irritable, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing that is done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is seeming trouble."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADIBA
GOD BLESS YOU
Thank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome post!! A few of these I will borrow and they are extra special for me, but you have found some great things that Mandela has said! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete"You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself." I really like that thought. Maybe it's because I'm in the process of making some changes myself? I dunno. But I like it... it hits home for me. There are others that resonate as well, but that one stood out the most. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for the comments - much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI live in South Africa and have been part of the change that this man started - awesome xxx