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

Article Title: Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT ZUMA (and the WORLD),
PLEASE, PLEASE
Author Name: Craig Lock
Category (key words): " Inspiration , Spiritual", South Africa, Leadership, "Inspirational Writings", news, politics, current affairs
Web Sites: https://www.xinxii.com/asresults.php?s4=craig+lock&sid=1 http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock (ebooks) and www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books/74-craigs-books
The submitter's blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22 and http://craiglock.wordpress.com
Other Articles are available at:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help , writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)

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 or encourage at all, or make any difference in people's lives by bringing some joy, then I'm very happy.
*
Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT ZUMA (and the international community), PLEASE, PLEASE

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 unprecedented, 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 Zimbabweand so leave your important legacy, President Zuma!

YOU still have an opportunity to leave a legacy, that may yet turn out to be "a beacon of light in a sea of despair"... to South Africa, Africa... and to the world

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.

You don’t have to forget the past in order to move forward.

Craig Lock

"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."

"The noblest revenge is to forgive."- Thomas Fuller, English author (1608-1661)

If I don't forgive my enemies, I deny my right to have power over them."- Martin Luther King or Robert Kennedy??

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

" Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it's an ongoing state of mind. A long and ardous journey that starts with a single large step - in spite of immense pain, the decision to forgive, a commitment to the ideal... and one that gives freedom... to the forgiven, yet also to the forgiver."

"When you forgive (another person or country), you empty your mind of negative thoughts (perhaps even thoughts as strong as hate). Then the infinite Spirit of God makes a fresh space in our hearts to allow new positive feelings to take their place.. to pour into our hearts. The 'freed' person then moves forward with a new spirit...which takes root in people's minds, hearts, spirits and even in the deepest recesses of their souls."

- craig

"Lord,

Give us forgiveness for the past, strength for today… and hope for the future.”

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: https://www.xinxii.com/asresults.php?s4=craig+lock&sid=1 and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock (ebooks) www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books/74-craigs-books + www.lulu.com/craiglock

"The world's smallest and most exclusive bookstore"

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.”- Chinese proverb

"A book is small enough to hold in your hand; but when you read it, the walls fall away and you're in a room as big as the world."

"A book, like a dog, is man's best friend, but inside it's too dark to read."

- Woody Allen (I "tink")

The submitter’s blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22 and http://craiglock.wordpress.com

THESE WRITINGS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

PPS

"Few (of us) will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man (or woman) stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, (she or) he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."— the powerful and greatly inspiring words of Robert F. Kennedy (with my little insertions in brackets)