Life Is For Living: My Favourite Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Quotes

During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this 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 will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for. But, my lord, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die. Nelson Mandela's statement before Pretoria Supreme Court, 20 April 1964

Source: Guardianlv.com

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. 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.

Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping

it will kill your enemies.

As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.

Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.

Source: ourstorian.files

There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

Give a child love, laughter, and peace, not AIDS.

I had no epiphany, no singular revelation, no moment of truth, but a steady accumulation of a thousand slights, a thousand indignities and a thousand unremembered moments produced in me an anger, a rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people. There was no particular day on which I said, Henceforth I will devote myself to the liberation of my people; instead, I simply found myself doing so, and could not do otherwise.

Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated
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Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.

I do not want to be presented as some deity. I would like to be remembered as an ordinary human being with virtues and vices.

I do not want to be presented as some deity. I would like to be remembered as an ordinary human being with virtues and vices
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Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.
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