Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

I just saw a great movie today called Invictus. As I was watching it, I had to constantly remind myself that it was a real story and not some made up Hollywood "feel good" thing. It was so perfect how they won the world cup and united the country.

My sister has been reading up a lot on Nelson Mandela throughout the past few weeks and I've been hearing second hand from her about what an amazing man this is. He is a prime example of what a person should be. He rose above an insurmountable amount of adversity and brought together a country that was absolutely torn apart. He is a leader. He is the leader that I want to be.

Last year during my blue and gold officer interview for the Naval Academy, I was asked who my role models were and why. I prepared so much for the interview but for some reason I didn't even consider this as a question to prepare anything before hand, stupid I know. Well I said Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, and Franklin Roosevelt. Now what I find interesting with those three is that they all were great leaders and knew how to unite people towards a brighter future, they were all so humble and down to earth. The one thing that they all have in common is that they have had tremendous setbacks in their life that I can't even fathom. Roosevelt with paralysis and for Martin Luther King and Barack Obama they faced the cruelest of discrimination. I just wonder how someone can face fear and overcome it stronger than ever, inspiring others. It's amazing to see how hardships can have a polarizing effect on a person. Some take pain the exact opposite way and give up but these men persevered.

I know I'm sort of rambling but I was just thinking how if I were asked that question again today Nelson Mandela would be atop that list. He inspires me and I have never even met him. He inspires billions around the world to be better just by his example and presence. That is what a role model and leader does.

What does a leader do to inspire others? He perseveres through the toughest of days and puts others before himself and in doing so he unites the masses and lets them be the master of their own fate and the captain of their own soul. I was reading a book the other day that said a true leader is one that empowers others to fulfill their own potential and do the task on their own. That is what Mandela did with that rugby team. He didn't do it for them but he did inspire them to greatness.

Mr. Mandela happy belated birthday. You inspire me to be all that I can be and I hope to one day have an impact on people in the way that you have had an impact on me.