Life, Love & Nelson Mandala
It’s ‘funny’ where some of the best people in life come from. In my experience they come from the most unexpected places and in the form of the most unexpected people. It’s a bit of a crusade of mine and an on going theme in some of my musings. A few days ago Google marked the anniversary of Nelson Mandala’s birth by publishing some of his most profound words. I hope you read them and I hope you are reflecting on them as well. There are many learned books on how to love others. There are a plethora of high profile people that TALK about ‘Lurve’. There are many religions that profess love of one another as their mantra. There are even more people who will not cease to tell you they are great and loving human beings and they will keep on telling you until you give in and agree with them! Most of the most loving, tender and kind people just get on quietly offering quiet support and encouragement and who would be shocked if you told them were wonderful people (but we should tell them anyway). Nelson Mandala said “No one is born hating another”. Think about that. Where then did that hate come from? Some will tell you ‘The Devil’. No we learned to hate from each other. A very uncomfortable truth for us all, even the so called ‘religious’ and ‘holy’, to reflect upon. Think about the hate and poison you lay each day. It may be in words or in an e-mail, text or tweet, or even post something hateful on Facebook. We claim to be civilised and sophisticated yet behave and treat one another in a bestial manner. This carries on even in the modern era and in our not too distant past. We look to intellectualise our thoughts and behaviour and rationalise our way out of taking responsibility. Oh we say ‘it’s the way I was brought up, I don’t know any better’, and other lame excuses. Nelson Mandala gives us an answer ,” People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite“. If you find yourself struggling with those words ask yourself why. You will find yourself trying to wriggle out of accepting those words because somewhere in your heart there is a hate for someone you won’t let go of because you feel you are justified in feeling that way. Maybe you are, I don’t know. Changing hate to love,as Nelson Mandala said ” always seems impossible until it’s done”.