Rise Above Without Growing Hard

Through 27 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela faced daily humiliations designed to break his spirit. 27 years! He was confined to a tiny cell, forced to break rocks in a limestone quarry, and denied basic comforts. And yet, despite all these terrible things, he refused to let his heart harden against his captors.

Enduring imprisonment is one thing, transmuting it into wisdom, understanding, and kindness is another.

Mandela learned their language, Afrikaans. He engaged the guards in conversation about their families, their hopes, their fears. When guards were distraught over personal problems, Mandela counseled them with compassion. He maintained his dignity without diminishing theirs.

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