Worthy attributes

Nelson Manela's story is intriguing to me.  I like anyone's story who has helped change the world, but his has an element in it that I greatly respect.

He worked for change all his life.  He was groomed in South Africa to lead, but when he did, he was imprisoned for it.  That jail stint was not just a few months or a year or two.  It was for 27 years.  That's a huge chunk out of someone's life.  The movie Invictus picked up this part of Mandela's story to show the impact of those 27 years.  It inspired South Africa's soccer team to be better than they would normally have been.

But 27 years intrigues me, also, because it is way outside the norm for stamina and patience.  I admire that kind of patience and stamina.  At times I think I have patience and stamina, separately usually.  But, I don't know if I could have done what Mandela did.  That's what intrigues me.  When Mandela got out of jail, due to pressure from the rest of the world put on the government of South Africa (otherwise who knows how long he would have stayed in prison), he still worked for change as he was groomed to do and as was consistent with his personality.

Amazing to me.  27 years he waited, but the taste of his life after that was soooo sweet.  Waiting for something you want is the attribute I am most impressed with.  Very few things are worth the wait, not a 27 year wait.  I know not to say that I would wait on something or someone.  I know that waiting is tiring, and it's easy to give up.  That's why I respect so much what Nelson Mandela did.  Only once have I told someone I would wait.  In that instance, I would join Mandela in patience and stamina no matter how long, hoping for a catalyst as he did.  It all ended well for Mandela.  He's 93, living in the tribal village he grew up in.  Good for him.