We dream of things that never were and say: "Why not?"

“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people, his country, he can rest in peace.

–Nelson Mandela.

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“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

– Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

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South Africa’s first black President who led his country out of apartheid died at the age of 95 today. Tributes are pouring in from all over the world as the general sense is that “A great light has gone out”.   Mandela’s greatest powers and values could not be taken away from him during his lifelong struggle for freedom. In his simple humanity he was able to harness the force of love. He loved the case for which he fought for both his country and fellow countrymen, – in ways only a few were able to do before in history.

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There was no ceiling or limit towards his efforts of dismantling South Africa’s system of apartheid which institutionalised racism in extreme varieties. In all this he became an international symbol of reconciliation and human rights.

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Therefore Mandela never forgotten under the stone. Time has its favours and so has clay its own, but his legacy will be remembered through the generations.

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He exercised his power eventually with gratitude and humility, which kept him connected with both many of black and white South Africans.

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The transition of South Africa without major civil war has been actually a miracle considering the existing dynamics at the time where only a few made the real difference.  Nelson Mandela was one of them and in his capacity as the first black South African President he had to balance at all sections of life and did reach out to both black and white. He did this with wisdom , determination, love and generosity.

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Many people in South Africa did resonate with his example of leadership and the nature of this leadership was the trigger of making the nearly impossible possible.

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Depending on the way his legacy and love to make such difference will last in the hearts and minds of the South African people will decide the way this new South Africa will continue to develop in the spirit of “his founding father”.

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He said once: ” I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination”. The determination of working without domination from any kind and respecting human rights of all kinds will nourish the garden of South Africa’s future.

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Poverty includes the feeling of being poor.

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With the legacy of Nelson Mandela South Africa may feel rich.

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Thanks

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Paul Wolf

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If you are interested read the articles about Mandela’s leadership and him embracing his love for the life he stood for. See below in  “Challenges of our times and generation.”

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http://paulalexanderwolf.com/2013/01/06/we-dream-of-things-that-never-were-and-say-why-not/

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http://paulalexanderwolf.com/2011/11/09/the-art-of-leadership-and-lessons-from-the-past-nelson-mandela/     (The leadership of Nelson Mandela as a prime example)

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http://paulalexanderwolf.com/2013/12/07/if-we-have-loved-well-while-we-were-alive/          (With reflections on Nelson Mandela and others)