Nelson Mandela

A living legend, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. For his fight with the African National Congress (ANC) against apartheid, he was accused of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town, then at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on the mainland, until his release February 18, 1990. He went on to be democratically chosen as the first black president of the Republic of South Africa in May 1994.

• Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
• Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
• It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
• We ask ourselves: who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
• Actually, who are you not to be?
• You are a child of God.
• Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
• There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that
• other people won't feel insecure around you.
• We are all meant to shine as children do.
• We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
• It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone!
• And as we let our light shine, we
• unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
• As we are liberated from our own fear,
• our presence automatically liberates others!

The mistake should be easily forgiven, as the forgivingness that radiates from these lines is very mandelaean.