Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBE

Article Title: Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBEKI (and the WORLD)
Author Name: Craig Lock
Category (key words): "Inspiration, Spiritual", South Africa, Inspirational Writings.
Web sites: http://www2.webng.com/writernz/ and
http://www.craiglockbooks.com

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.html
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, words of inspiration and money management)

Publishing Guidelines: This piece (based upon an inspiring address by former Archbishop, Desmond Tutu) may be freely reproduced
electronically or in print. All my articles (and quotations) may
be freely published. If they help at all, or make any difference in
people's lives by bringing some joy, then I'm very happy.

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Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBEKI (and the international community)

In the light of current world events and global uncertainty,
I say: "Look at South Africa"...

Thousands of people died over the years of South Africa's
turbulent, history (and under the "nightmare" called apartheid -
forgotten already ???)...which has ended relatively peacefully.
In a land of such contrasts, a "happy, sad" land of great wealth and the disparity of abysmal poverty; yet the beauty and richness of the land ...and most importantly its most valuable resource, the spirit of its 45 million diverse and vibrant peoples always seems to shine through in conquering adversity.

Out of a violent and bloody past, South Africa's extraordinary
relatively peaceful transition to democracy was a minor
"miracle"...

and I believe, South Africans have accomplished something unprecented, unparalleled in the last decade.

"How apartheid was finally buried, without requiem; but in
joyous celebration, will remain forever in the hearts and minds
of a nation reborn. When tears came, and there was dampness in
the eyes of even the most stern, it was for putting the past in
the past and hoping for hope in the future."
*
Perhaps there is a message in South Africa's violent and
tortuous path towards "democracy" somewhere for the current "trouble spots of the world"... perhaps there was a reason for the misery and tragedy of apartheid (as well as learning something from the lessons of history over many centuries of colonialism around the globe), after all...

South Africa - a possible role-model for the world??

In spite of the corruption, endemic crime and "cheapness of life there, South Africa may yet be a "trail-blazer", the beacon of
magnanimity, hope and reconciliation to the world. With strong
leadership, a spirit of goodwill, tolerance, acceptance ...and
most importantly, attempts to understand other peoples and
cultures, who are different to us (yet we humans have far more
in common than our differences)...and especially with the SPIRIT
of peace, your nightmare too will end. An end to the evil of
terrorism, man's inhumanity to man and the "impossibility" of
world peace CAN one day be achieved.

So
Let the world celebrate the quite magnificent achievement South Africans of ALL races and creeds, "The Rainbow People of God" have accomplished in the past decade of "democracy", where the will of the people have spoken. With your "torch of light"
you may yet illuminate the path to a world one day at peace with
itself.

"South Africa's ability to overcome deep divisions,
to negotiate a common future and to commit itself
to reconciliation and reconstruction offers new hope -
not only to South Africa, but across the globe."

"South Africa is blessed in resources beyond many. It dare not
live just for itself. It must work and labour to bless Africa
and the world...but especially Africa. If only for Africa's sake we dare not fail; because as South Africa goes, so will the rest of Africa."

CELEBRATE THE "BELOVED COUNTRY"
and the great spirit of its inhabitants,

and especially, PLEASE do something about Zimbabwe
and so leave your important legacy, President Mbeki!

Finally and most importantly,
the message of forgiveness and hope in the future is 'the miracle' of South Africa today. Now if only other countries could offer the kind of leadership South Africa produced at that precarious time in its blood-soaked history...and learn the lessons from the past, then the whole of Africa and even the entire world would be a far better and more peaceful place for all of us.

Craig Lock
http://www.craiglockbooks.com

"The greatness of a nation
consists not so much
in the number of it's people
or the extent of it's territory
as in the extent
and justice of it's compassion."

- Inscription at the Horse Memorial in Port Elizabeth, for horses killed in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

P.S: I am reminded of something Mahatma Gandhi's said not long
before he was assassinated:

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of
truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and
murderers and for a time they seem invincible; but in the end,
they always fall.

Think of it, ALWAYS."

"Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not rejoice in
iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love
never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest
of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13

"When the world is filled with love, people's hearts are overflowing
with hope."
- craig

Craig's novels on South Africa that he "felt inspired to write" are available at: http://www2.webng.com/writernz/books.html

THESE WRITINGS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED