GAME CHANGERS

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There are hundreds of games out there. Card games, board games, action games and as a result of technology we now have games that we can play on the computer, Xbox and PlayStation. That’s A LOT of games each with different aims, rules and characters.

I’ve spent many hours playing some of them. But there’s one game that I’m stuck in. One where there are many levels and obstacles though not enough cheat codes. When you fail in this game you don’t get the option of restarting. There are different sets of rules depending on where you are in the game. And the problem is: I’m in charge. I have to make most of the decisions. And I have to suffer the consequences. I’ve played this game for fifteen years.

Because it’s my life.

In this game I’m not alone. Well not always. I have my parents, friends and teachers who help me through the different levels but there are obstacles that I encounter when their knowledge isn’t enough. That’s when I wish that I’m not the commander of an army. When I wish for a genie to help me.

There’s just one problem. There aren’t enough genies to cater for the whole human race – but don’t panic we have something almost better than wishes – we have legends (not the type that you read with myths; I mean the people who have been GAME CHANGERS and who have altered the game we play). Being part of the changed world they know the secrets and better than that they can be the helpful hands nudging us safely through all the hard areas.

There are many of these legends out there but if I had to name and explain them all it would full my hard drive. But there’s one GAME CHANGER in particular who has changed me. And just more than a month ago he passed away.

You guessed it. Nelson Mandela.

I know most of you have heard his life story and feel you know everything about him so I’m going to keep this short. Madiba planted many seeds of knowledge within us even though we may not have known it. Here are some quotes by him:

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.  

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. 

It always seems impossible until its done.

So as you go on with your game of life:

“MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR” – A quote from Suzanne Collins’  The Hunger Games Trilogy