I'm really glad I got to see him. Even from up in the stands in a university basketball court I could see his charisma glowing. And I'm glad he's no longer suffering through this last ordeal.
What a blessing you were able to see him and be in the same (very large) place! You can tell when you're in the presence of a great person, and to hear him speak also...what a gift. (I've had similar experiences on occasion though not with someone so very famous, or who had suffered so for his cause).
on the un-ending commute home tonight i was thinking about him. And how, even if i never heard him speak 'live', i shared a time with him, an age that he helped shape, wonderfully.
I remember when my father passed away. I felt that he was the finest man I had ever known or even heard of. I remember thinking that the world should mourn the passing of such a man. But the world did not.
The lesson? That there are great people among us, and we normally only ever recognize the ones that everyone else recognizes. But....beyond recognizing them, (and we should), we need also to look around at the 'ordinary' folk as well. And at ourselves. We can be heroes, we can change things for the better. Nelson Mandela didn't take that journey in one step. But the important thing was that he started and didn't stop. He had help. He had vision. He had love and insight and drive. All things that we have, too. Even one small step is better than no step, even one little bit less fear is better than living a cipher's life.
It's so lovely that Nelson shared his time and passion with us. Tonight, I am thankful for him. It is only his physical body that has left us. His miraculous spirit is here and will remain.
My father died 7 years ago yesterday after a 2 month battle in the hospital after a failed surgery, and today would have been his 86th birthday, so I'm much with the father thoughts, too.
I'm sorry. Somehow I missed seeing this until just now. For my dad, it is 19 years this Dec 1. It gets better but certainly the grief never goes away. Nor should it. Any parent worthy of the word is worth missing forever. *hugs* back.
wow, I missed this big news. I know he's been suffering awhile and am glad to see him at peace. I am grateful to have shared the earth with him for a time as well, and I am glad you got to see him.
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I remember when my father passed away. I felt that he was the finest man I had ever known or even heard of. I remember thinking that the world should mourn the passing of such a man. But the world did not.
The lesson? That there are great people among us, and we normally only ever recognize the ones that everyone else recognizes. But....beyond recognizing them, (and we should), we need also to look around at the 'ordinary' folk as well. And at ourselves. We can be heroes, we can change things for the better. Nelson Mandela didn't take that journey in one step. But the important thing was that he started and didn't stop. He had help. He had vision. He had love and insight and drive. All things that we have, too. Even one small step is better than no step, even one little bit less fear is better than living a cipher's life.
It's so lovely that Nelson shared his time and passion with us. Tonight, I am thankful for him. It is only his physical body that has left us. His miraculous spirit is here and will remain.
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*hugs*
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