I am sad for the passing of a truly great man: an African Gentleman, Freedom Fighter and Statesman. He was as delighted to meet me as he was every person he met. I felt included in his world of justice and grace. I felt I belonged there with him and simultaneously my own integrity was called and valued. In Mandela was a backbone so straight, an unshakehable and clear understanding of the right thing to do. Today I saw the sun rising without Mandela’s living spirt upon the Earth. But it still feels close, calling us all to his brand of leadership where we affirm the worth and belonging of every person we meet, and we take a stand again and again and again, on what will be good for our common humanity.
