“The Ides of March” is a phrase coined to highlight the events that occurred on March 15th in the Roman calendar, including the assassination of Julius Caesar. Today as we celebrate the birth of South Africa, Africa and the World’s greatest man alive, the birthday of Nelson Rolihlahla Madiba Mandela, we look at the significance of this day in world history, it is my view that “The 15th of March and the 18th of July” are equally significant in world history, I am also tempted to say the latter is in fact greater in significance than the former more so because I am a South Africa.
The birth of Nelson Mandela can to a certain degree be observed from a religious point of view as a “Sacred” day in world history. My belief is that God’s plan when he created Mandela, was bordering along the lines of a modern Moses, an individual that would come and change the world for the better, an individual that would come and save the children of the world from slavery, this speaks about both the oppressed and the oppressor, the Rich and the Poor, young and old, down here in South Africa Black and White. Even though many are arguing that Nelson Mandela did not single handedly free Black South Africans from oppression, of cause he did not, just as much as Moses did not single handedly Lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, but just by virtue of Moses being born among the Israelites, they were delivered, equally, just by virtue of Nelson Mandela being born among South Africans, we were bound to be delivered out of oppression.
It is on this day when we have to look back and reflect on what this great man truly means to us, we wake up today fighting a different battle because this great man was born among us, it is because of the birth of this great man that we today can walk the streets of South Africa as equal citizens, it is because of the birth of this great man that we can today speak our minds, put pen to paper without fear of any victimisation from the white minority, it is because of the birth of this great man that today we are counted among the greatest of Nations around the globe. It is because of the birth of this great man that our children today can be taught in a language of their choice in the same classroom with their white counterparts.
This day is the only day in world history were South Africans and the world, sets aside all their differences and respond to a clarion call to “dedicate their time to giving”, work towards a common goal. As South Africans, we need to take pride in the fact that this great man was born among us, that this great statesman was called to come and lead the people of South Africa to the promised land, the land of Unity, Diversity and Prosperity. Given the physical pains associated with old age, we need to be thankful that he is still with us at age 95, continuing to play his role as a unifier of the people of our country, the continent and the world; this is a clear indication of how God masterminded this unique creation. Many of us today have the ability to reach our full potential because we are continuing to draw strength and motivation from this “God sent people builder”, "the father of the nation", "the founding father of democracy", the liberator and Saviour of our great nation.
On this day, South Africa and the world celebrate this man’s life with pride, humility and appreciation; we are indeed grateful for his Life because if he was not born among us, we may not have been delivered to the Promised Land.
Beware of the “Ides of July”, Happy Birthday Tata…………….
#MeditationsOfTheHeart
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