It’s taken me over a month to write this. I’ve been back and forth with myself, repeatedly drafting and deleting, hoping that the urge to write would fade… but it hasn’t. So today I decided to bite the proverbial bullet and post – albeit a much more concise, less angry version of my initial ramblings – but at least I’ve transferred my thoughts and sent it out into the universe. I may decide to delete it later, but we’ll see.
My father passed away at the beginning of July.
I have avoided writing anything about Nelson Mandela up until this point as I feel that I won’t be able to do his legacy any justice. I have been lucky to have lived a privileged life without fear of hatred or predjudice and can’t possibly comprehend the atrocities that he and his people have witnessed and have tried to avoid jumping on the proverbial bandwagon.
However, as I sit here watching his funeral, I was moved by the outpouring of love for what was an extraordinary man, who lived an extraordinary life.
It isn’t often that we are able to witness the impact that one individual can have on the world. I remember his release from prison and his election as President and in my lifetime I remember endless reports of the happiness and hope that he brought to people all over the world. Mandela was adored by everyone who met him and was treated with the same reverence that would normally be reserved for the highest religious leaders. He had a single message – that everyone, regardless of race, should be treated as equals – and his ability to love and forgive and his wish for a better world should be a message that remains with us all.
Rest In Peace Mandela.
Suzie Speaks 
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