Nelson Mandela What Words Can be Said?

Nelson Mandela is gone at the age of 95. What can be said about the great man that the millions of posts, news stories, tweets and shares haven't already said? What can be said about a man that healed a nation? What can be said about a man who changed the lives of so many?

In truth not much can be said, but it is important to say something. There will undoubtedly be those who say it better than me, and I am sure you would have read many articles. But here it goes anyway.

Thank You Madiba

Thank you for making your life important, thank you for making it all about everyone else and not about you. Thank you for healing my beloved South Africa and being an example to all those in the World. Thank you for having the courage to stand up, when so many would just rather lie down. Thank you Madiba for always having a smile on your face no matter how hard life got or how sick you became in your later years. Thank you for giving freedom to all the people of this country, when so many thought it impossible. Thank you for loving us all when you could very much just have hated. Thank you for lifting the 95 Rugby World Cup with Francios Pienaar and bringing all our hearts to burst. Thank you Madiba for bringing the 2010 Fifa World Cup to South Africa and the joy that came with it. But most of all thank you, thank you for being born, for being our Madiba, our Tata, our Father. Thank you Nelson Mandela I will never forget you and neither will the World.

“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.”

—	Nelson Mandela 1918-2013

Mandela was convicted of sabotage during apartheid in South Africa and served 27 years in prison on Robben Island. When he was released in 1990, he didn’t seek revenge against his former jailers; rather, he invited one of them, a white man named Christo Brand, to his 1994 presidential inauguration. In fact, Brand was also invited to Mandela’s 20th anniversary celebration of his release from prison. Another of Mandela’s jailers, James Gregory, also spoke and wrote about his friendship with the political prisoner. (Below is the pic)

That is just the kind of man he was, and the one we all hope to be. RIP Tata may you smile down on us and may we make you proud.