As one by one each soul one this planet hears the news of the passing of one of life’s great souls, Nelson Mandela, there will be a movement from sadness, through reflection… to the realisation that only by truly adopting peace and compassion can all hope to find it on the planet.
Beyond even the long walk to freedom Nelson walked the long walk from conflict to compassion and it is that road that is where lasting peace, liberation and oneness will be found. I am not a politician or a historian but I am more than aware of the impact of a man who walked a path that through struggles and steadfastness, prison, purpose and ultimate peace unlocked hearts and minds across the world.
As a world leader – and he remained a world leader long after he stepped down from the South African Presidency – he stood virtually alone as one whose humanity, humility and heart transcended political convention, concerns and posturing. Somehow it struck me many years ago that in those years in prison what must have become so clear to him was the understanding of the entire human condition. Only by understanding all causes can you ever hope to really achieve any specific causes.
Only by understanding every spirit can you truly seek to win hearts and minds. Only when you have embraced life can you really hope to bring about the best in life. Only when you truly love the world can you hope to bring more love to it and from it.
Tonight many world leaders and leaders of all types may not sleep easy – and for many weeks to come. Because many of their hearts will be heavy. Are they willing to truly move from head to heart and to truly lead from the heart. ‘Am I really being true to what I am about?’ ‘Am I really enabling and empowering those I serve?’ Do I really know – or remember who I am and what I am about? These will be some of the questions that will run through their minds and bodies.
But these are not just questions for all sorts of leaders. They are questions for every one. For we are all responsible for our own and our collective destinies. We all have the potential to fulfil our possibilities by truly embracing ourselves and each other as we are.
Personally I suspect Nelson’s spirit has influenced me far more than I probably know. The work I do around living life from the heart and compassion has been greatly enthused by all those great souls who have sung that song…who all discovered that that is only path to walk, tread and create for it is the only path that leads anywhere worth heading and the only in which we truly find ourselves.
Thank you Nelson.
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Rasheed Ogunlaru is a leading life coach, speaker and business/corporate coach. He is also author of The Gift of Inner Success and Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business.
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