MADIBA: Who "were" You To Yourself??

Hmmm...where do we start from?

I wonder how wild the thoughts in his head always run;
how in slavery and chains, he became familiar with the sun;
having rugged faith that someday things will change.

I wonder how he kept going on even when he lost a son
At what point did he take this fight personal?
At what point in this struggle was his whole life defined?
He saw a future, but the obstacles were much!

I can imagine that there would be points when those closest to him will BEG him to quit;
But He kept at it...
27 years in Prison for believing in equality?

He was a LIVING Martyr;
who died the day he was first cheated;
who never enjoyed his youth...no he didn't
He fought for generations he will never meet;
He inspired people he will never know;
He loved as Christ loves
He was an example of love...

But really, I'm not concerned about that!!!
I'm more concerned about WHO HE WAS WHEN HE WAS ALONE
Those cold nights when no one was there to comfort him,
I'm more concerned about the man who got heart-broken when he should've found comfort;
I wonder what runs through his mind each time he sees people celebrate him

A MAN CREATED NOT TO ENJOY HIS YOUTH!
They say your name is a reflection of who you are;
He was named "Rolihlahla" - A trouble Maker
before his teachers changed his name to "Nelson"...hmmm
And he came to terms with this name.

An embodiment of tenacity and wahala (trouble maker)
from a convicted "terrorist" to a CELEBRATED REVOLUTIONARY;
You lived an amazing life!!!
Sleep like a baby in God's arms, ne'er to awake in this world;
Go and finally enjoy the rest you deserve!!

Understanding Circumstances

It has been proven time and again that the whole essence of what life means to each individual lies in the mirror we see the world through, and honestly the mirror is subjective. What mostly determines what the mirror is ranges from our experiences, to our environment, circle of friends, connections, and the people around- such that it is impossible to see beyond your understanding and knowledge (except you learn to stretch yourself) at a particular point. As a matter of fact, you level of exposure goes a long way in helping you interpret the situations and happenings of life. I'm not completely ruling out the option of higher understanding, but the fact remains that your reactions and interpretations to situations is a function of all you have ever known; consciously or subconsciously - nothing more!

Now, leadership requires a great deal of functional perspectives that goes on to define your leadership capacity and eventually your credibility when it comes to having good judgements and steering people in the right course just so everyone can be happy and your common goals can be achieved. It is this "functional Perspective (as I like to call it) that gives you an edge in life generally, and developing it isn't a hard task at all...it just takes hard work.

Here are a few things I feel would help in broadening your horizon;
1) See things from other people's perspective. Try as much as possible to understand (or at least have a knowledge of) the person's temperament, state of mind, and circumstance. You're not a Ginnie, I know, but most times, having a good knowledge about the person/people you're dealing with works to your advantage.
2)Define Yourself. You will need to have a clear understanding of you and also be able to define and draw a definite boundary between your Ego and Principles. I believe that whatever infringes on your EGO should be allowed (as it makes you "die to self") whilst whatever infringes on your PRINCIPLES should be frowned upon (but be careful to know that your principles are not borne out of your EGO.
3) Welcome other people's opinion on a matter. You can't know it all, neither can you have all the answers you need per time; most times, it's life becomes easier when you heed "GOOD" counsels from "Respected, trusted and reputable" friends (or mentors, as the case may be).
4) Your State of Mind also matters when it comes to assessing situations. You need to learn to look at things from a perspective of someone who isn't involved in the matter at all, as this will help clarify things for you.