Friday, December 6, 2013

The Man Who Wrote History


“… we have lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth. He no longer belongs to us - he belongs to the ages.” – Barack Obama

In my teenage years and possibly earlier I remember seeing the round bearded face of a great man on posters and the two words ‘Free Mandela’. I have to admit I thought he looked dangerous and I probably judged him the dangerous criminal Menzies and the right declaimed him to be. Mind you these were the same people who propped up the hideous, murderous regime in South Africa for many years. They also thought apartheid a valid process. It took Malcolm Fraser to challenge his fellow right wingers before the atmosphere changed politically in this country.
Years passed and the Springbok tour of Australia raised my awareness and I came to realise there was more to the story and less to support in the accepted view. With the realisation came the passion for seeing Mandela out of jail and living free, having the freedom he wanted for his people and all those in Sth Africa. That finally came in 1990 and the world became a better place.

Mandela was not without sin, he did think violence was ok for a period of time, he shared the ANC belief in assuming ownership of ‘white’ property and he may not have always been generous in his interactions with others. His imprisonment changed these views and he became simply remarkable.
His dignity and his spirit inspired me and educated me. His ability to forgive, to know that revenge does nothing, progresses nothing, lives only for and off itself was a revelation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was an amazing, unique and brilliant concept and made the future direction of that blighted country more certain.

The power of Madiba’s message is in contrasting the way South Africa developed after his release to the basket case that Zimbabwe is. Mandela chose peace and forgiveness, Mugabe chose hate and revenge. South Africa still has its problems but there is hope and faith, Zimbabwe just has blood and tears.
I am so grateful to have lived at the same time as Madiba and join others in thanking his family and country for sharing him with us. Your sadness is balanced with gratitude for his life but my sympathy for your loss. What an incredible life though eh?

From a Prisoner for 27 years to President for six years ,his long walk to Freedom made my life better, made the world brighter and made many more things possible. Mandela’s legacy will always be that little extra light in a too often dark world. But with his passing that light is just a little less bright.
Be at rest you wonderful man. We can ill afford to lose you but if it makes the hereafter a better place and  if God needs you, go well and with our thanks.

So many tributes to this great human today but, as always, President Obama’s was the highlight for me. Read it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25250278

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