An Ode Nelson Mandela. One Love x

Hi all

The sad news that Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela has died gives a lot of perspective to the daily grind we choose to endure. For me, this man is possibly the most inspirational leader of my generation. 

This man was by no means an angel, or completely without his flaws, but never has there been one man who achieved so much to bring us together as one race, one culture, one movement. No-one has inspired more people across the globe to believe in equality, democracy and love.

I mentioned recently about forgiveness being a modus operandi that I want to live. Mr Mandela was the master of forgiveness. After 27 years of imprisonment he returned to society and asked for his captors to be forgiven. Of all the brilliant statements and wise words he spoke in the 95 years he graced this planet, I don’t think there was any more telling act than this.

I guess the tributes will flood in for some time and rightly so. My concern is that we haven’t yet seen the person who will fill the void he leaves behind.  For a number of years now, I’ve thought that with Mr Mandela’s failing health, we should be looking for a new Nelson to rise up and take his good work forward into the next generation. Waiting for someone to step up is and can never be an option, the time is now for all of us to be part of the positive change we need.

I don’t want to be part of a generation of parents who leaves humanity with its critical flaws, namely centred around greed, for our children to inherit. Nelson Mandela did everything in his power to address hate with love. He wanted to see poverty ended. If we become one, we can finish the job that has been so effective in the past 20 years or so. The number of people living in absolute poverty has halved since 1990. We therefore can end it within another 20 years if we work as one.

Who is the next Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela? WE are. Be the change you wish to see, don’t wait for another generation to pick up our failure to realise our potential and unite humanity.  What difference can you make? Everything to every man, woman and child, because greed is unacceptable and love can and will prevail.

“Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.” – Nelson Mandela

One Love, Rest in Peace

Jez

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