A Hero Has Fallen!

Today we wake up to the news that NELSON MANDELA has died during the night – at the remarkable age of 95.  Our nation has lost its Father – it’s strong moral compass – an icon of dignity, courage and forgiveness.  Even the morning African skies seem to be in mourning and we are graced with a grey and overcast day here in Johannesburg – even the birds seem sombre!

 As my children stare at disbelief at the TV and we watch tribute after tribute from famous faces around the world, we are reminded of the global impact our MADIBA has made in the world.    

 

Apart from the legacy he has left, it is the man himself that I remember most.  When he was first released from prison in 1990 he always seemed to have a very sombre – but dignified – expression, perhaps overwhelmed with the task of having to take our nation to its next level – an immense undertaking in a land of anger, distrust, resentment and bloodshed and how to bring all it’s people to reconciliation and growth.  He had been in prison for 27 years as a lead campaigner against apartheid – a struggle that he led with courage and discipline.  However, after his release and as he relaxed into his role of being our “Madiba – the father of our Nation” he showed a much more special side in his capacity for forgiveness, humility and compassion.  This is how I remember him, especially when he was surrounded by children. 

 

His face would crinkle up with smiles and such glee that his eyes would almost disappear and he made everyone around him feel special.  Yes – he was an icon, but we loved him for his unique shirts, his own dance style (those arms always had their own agenda and would start pumping as soon as a song he loved came up) and his lovely humour.  He loved his own jokes and would start smiling, with a naughty twinkle in his eye, before he got his jokes out so you always knew what was coming next.  He was such a humble man and was first to acknowledge his own imperfections, and he was ours!  He has been an inspiration to us all. 

 

I recently visited the APARTHEID MUSEUM with my family and spent a few minutes just sitting quietly on a bench surrounded by Madiba’s pictures and videos – feeling such overwhelming respect for this amazing man.  If you are ever in Johannesburg, I implore you to take a turn past this museum – take your time – and absorb the greatness that was Mandela.  www.apartheidmuseum.org.

 

As we remember him at this moment, let it remind us of the qualities we all strive for in our own lives and which he embodied so well.

Hamba Kahle Madiba.