A Contemplation 

Our deepest fear
is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous.
Actually who are you not to be,
you are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are born to make manifest the
glory of god that is within us.
It's not just within some of us,
It's in everyone
And as we let our own light shine
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others

   © Nelson Mandela  


1994 Inaugural Speech