During Nelson Mandela ’s 19 years
imprisoned on Robben Island, one
particular commanding officer was the
most brutal of them all:
“ A few days before Badenhorst’s
departure , I was called to the main
office . General Steyn was visiting the
island and wanted to know if we had
any complaints. Badenhorst was there
as I went through a list of demands.
When I had finished, Badenhorst
spoke to me directly .
He told me he would be leaving the
island and added : ‘I just want to wish
you people good luck’. I do not know
if I looked dumbfounded , but I was
amazed. He spoke these words like a
human being and showed a side of
himself we had never seen before . I
thanked him for his good wishes and
wished him luck in his endeavours .
I thought about this moment for a
long time afterwards. Badenhorst had
perhaps been the most callous and
barbaric commanding officer we had
had on Robben Island. But that day in
the office , he had revealed that that
there was another side to his nature ,
a side that had been obscured but still
existed .
It was a useful reminder that all men,
even the most seemingly cold-
blooded , have a core of decency and
that, if their hearts are touched, they
are capable of changing . Ultimately,
Badenhorst was not evil ; his
inhumanity had been foisted upon
him by an inhuman system . He
behaved like a brute because he was
rewarded for brutish behaviour. ”
( Nelson Mandela, “ Long Walk ")
Box of Stories | All stories | Inspiring Stories
Thursday 8 September 2011
The kindness inside
Thursday 11 August 2011
Dodging death
Dodging death
There is a story about a person who was afraid of death. He spent a long period in prayer and penance to please god. Then god appeared. Before him in a dream and asked his wish. He prayed to deliver him from death. God answered that death was inevitable for man anf so this prayer could not be granted. He then requested god to give him a clear warning beford his death. God agreed and vanished. Overjoyed, he started to lead a life of leisure and sinful pleasures, hoping to turn to god as soon as god issues a warning about impending death. In course of time his hair became grey, skin got wrinkled, health deteriorated and his teeth were lost. Still he continued his sinful ways.
Finally at the moment of death, he had a vision of god, ready to declare his death and judge his deeds. The man complained, "why didn't you warn me earlier? You have not kept youe word !". God replied, "i gave you a series of warnings -your greying hair, wrinkling skin,failing health and falling teeth were the warning signals of an imminent end. But you ignored the warnings. Now you have to meet your fate."
Friday 29 July 2011
The Clever Boy
This made the man very angry and he took the boy to the village chief for punishment. the judge asked , "dear boy, if you had not seen the donkey, how could you describe it? " the boy answered , "i saw the tracks of a donkey and the right and left tracks were different from each other. i understood that the donkey that passed there was a limping. and the grass on the right side of the road was eaten but the grass on the left was not.
from that i understood that his left eye was blind. there were wheat seeds scattered on the ground and i understood that he must have been carrying a load of wheat. the judge understood the boy's cleverness and told the man to forgive the boy.