Daily Lessons from Life 11 October 2010 - New Mandela memoir shows personal notes from living legend

Channel NewsAsia - New Mandela memoir shows personal notes from living legend 11 October 2010

JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela agonised over the suffering caused to his family by his struggle against white rule in South Africa, in an intimate portrait of the man painted by personal letters and diaries.

Correspondence, personal notes and hours of recordings will be published Tuesday in 'Conversations with Myself', which was compiled by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and includes a foreword from US President Barack Obama.

He once asked to start an arm wing of the African National Congress as a young man when after years of advocating peaceful means to win independence for the Black in then White-ruled South Africa. Something that is not often talked about on this Nobel Peace Prize Winner!

He said he often wondered if it was right for a man to neglect his family while fighting for others. He also said that the one thing the outside world must never do for him: 'Do not beautify me as I am not a Saint even by the definition that a Saint is a sinner that keep trying!'"

I like this man though I have been done very little, let alone in depth, research nor read up a lot on him. I only know him as the man who survived 20+ (was it 28-year) of imprisonment and latter became the 1st all-race elected President of South Africa. His public demeanour have always being humble, dignified, and peaceful.

Lessons for me are:

1. the family of people who fight for the rights of others simply has to accept that this is the price to pay to support something that man or woman believed are the right things to do. Just like Mrs Lee supported Mr Lee Kuan Yew during the early days of the struggle of Singapore as an independent nation. Mr. Mandela wondered aloud then if it were the right thing to do. Well, he need not wondered. It is how it is;

2. if the family bolted, it is also fully understandable. This is especially so if the ambition or ideals were NOT shared at the beginning. There need not be bitterness. Actually sometimes I wondered if 'discovering and devoting oneself to a religion' is NOT an even more selfish act? e.g. to become a Buddhist Monk forsaking all earthy possession?;

3. this man has achieved a lot. Some of them definitely were against ALL Odds. Yet, he remained humble. He understand the risk of falling in love with oneself when all you hear are nothing but praises for and about you! I respected him even more when he said: Don't beautify me as I am no Saint even if the definition of a Saint is a Sinner who keeps trying!!

May this 92-year old man live for another 92-year, if he is healthy and happy. May many of the world great leaders learned him humility. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew will definitely go up another notch in my book if he had his humility!! :-)