Happy Birthday Superman!

Ex President Nelson Mandela turns 91 tomorrow. I've ashamed to admit that I've never read his biography but have inspected his life in detail and I must admit, I was a fan before but I'm a groupie now.

Wow. What an incredible man. Incredible. Not only has he survived more hardships than most, he's triumphed over every obstacle in his path. My admiration and respect for Madiba has quadrupled and when I say, he is a South African legend, I truly mean it. There is no doubt that he has made enormous strides in the struggle for Human Rights, not only in South Africa but the rest of the world but the part that I admire most is the fact that he did what he had to do to serve his people and his convictions.

He took his resistance struggle from passive to aggressive and that takes courage. Most people, super heroes even,the moral of the story ends at "the amicable solution where everybody learns something and no one gets in a barney." Not in Madiba's case, after talks and negotiations didn't produce results, he did what he had to do to inspire reform in the policies of the Apartheid government. As Shakespeare would say...he took arms against his sea of troubles and by opposing, ended them. Looking back at his life, I can't comprehend the strength and courage that he showed in a time when strength and courage where crushed at all costs for submission and obedience.

His famous words, first declared at the Rivonia Trial and then again at his public address when released from prison still bring tears to my eyes.

"During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

I for one, don't have any idea what I would die for, I hope that we can all have something to live for and die for. Something precious to protect, love and cherish. Happy Birthday Madiba! I wish you every freedom.

Have a look at this video montage of Madiba at his most powerful, most beautiful, most admirable.