Commentary by Talha Randeree
I never had the pleasure of meeting Nelson Mandela. The closest I ever got to ever seeing the great man, was a photo in a newspaper, or an image on the TV screen.
Maybe this is why when I think of Nelson Mandela I think of all he has done for this country. I strip away the titles, from presidency to Nobel Peace Prize recipient. I see him for the efforts he put in day in and day out, to make our world a better place.
And here is the thing; Mandela was human just like you and I. He lived, loved, got sick and eventually passed on.
Sure the details in between were a lot different than most people’s lives, but in essence he lived a human life.
So why is it that humanity has come to the point where we have idolised him?
Have the qualities Mandela portrayed, the lifestyle he led, become so far-fetched and so unknown, that we now idolise them?
Mandela did amazing things for the country and the world over.
But the honest truth is that his actions were only allowed because of his passion for improving society, for breaking through the constraints of racism and for creating a better world for people to live in.
The world he wanted was a world of peace, freedom, love and a general feeling of kindness to the person next to you.
Is this not what you want? Should you not be striving just as Mandela did to create such a world?
‘Tata’ was a great man- there is no doubt. But he was a great man, because he preached and personified the qualities of the kind human.
He made mistakes, no one is without fault, but he changed. He left his anger behind and worked for the betterment of society.
This is what we have to remember about Mandela.
On July 18, 1918 Nelson Mandela was born. On December 5, 2013 at the far-reaching age of 95, he passed away.
‘Tata’ was no idol. He was just a man. A man who strove for what he believed in. He left a legacy behind.
His legacy and beliefs was something we should all believe in.
Ask yourself this question:
“What legacy are you going to leave behind for the people you know?”
He meant a lot to the world, but you mean a lot to the people in your life.
