A Great Soul

As they say, "all good things must come to an end", but then also "what we do in life echos in eternity". Nelson Mandela is without doubt a great soul that has not only touched the lives of many, but will leave a lasting legacy continuing long into the future. To everyone of us, he is a symbol of courage, perseverance and commitment in the face of adversity. It's these qualities which are so needed at this time to lift humanity into a new evolutionary state. So here at Openhand, not only do we mourn a great man, but also celebrate a great life. Here are a few of his quotes...

• "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
• "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." "
• There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."
• "There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."
• "Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose."
• "Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future."
• "Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom."

Until the next life great soul!