“In the midst of darkness light exists.”

 

 

“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 does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking;
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own 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.”

- Marianne Williamson

I love these words from Marianne Williamson as used by Nelson Mandela in his inaugeration speech as State President at South Africa’s first Democratic Election in 1994. I have admired and respected ‘Madiba’ for many years – his graciousness and the nobility of his unique spirit of reconciliation”. Nelson Mandela’s integrity, his sense of humour, his forgiveness of human frailty, his “immense generosity of spirit”, his faith in reconciliation – and above all, by the sacrifices he personally made. All this ensured his “beloved” country would remain a beacon to the world, an example of a different mode of thinking, a new way of viewing problems as challenges. And as South Africa (and the African National Congress) prepares to choose a new President to succeed Thabo Mbeki, it is vitally important that this new democracy succeeds in the future, not just for South Africa’s sake, but as ‘a beacon of hope’ for the entire world.

c (1999)

 

“Nelson Mandela’s integrity, his sense of humour, his forgiveness of human frailty, his generosity of spirit, his faith in reconciliation – and above all, by the sacrifices he had personally made. All this ensured his country would remain a beacon to the world, an example of a different mode of thinking, a new way of viewing problems as challenges. It is in our nature , the “sutheffrikun” psyche, to move between hope one moment and despair the next. We are involved in and are all defined by this southern tip of the vast and so-called “dark” continent of Africa . (As writer Njabulo Ndebele has called it “the rediscovery of the ordinary”). And it is vitally important , not just for South Africa’s sake , but for the entire world, that we succeed.”

And each ONE of us in our daily “ordinary, little” lives can shine a torch, perhaps even a bright light that helps in some way to overcome the darkness in the world.

Shared by craig

“Whatever you are
no matter whether it is
a brain surgeon, an artist, a street sweeper,
always just be the best you can possibly be.”

“Deep within us there is a flame that burns, and that flame is the spark of God. In some it burns brightly, in others it is barely distinguishable; but always it burns…and with love and acceptance the flame gets higher and brighter. We can help others to kindle this flame by seeing the good in them, even if they don’t see it themselves.”
- anon

“In the midst of darkness light exists.”

 

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Tags: inspirational thoughts, Nelson Mandela, words of encouragement and empowerment