The death of Nelson Mandela

     Today, we have lost an important figure in South African history. Nelson Mandela, the first black South African president whose term lasted from 1994 to 1999, died today at the age of 95. It was through him that apartheid, poverty, and inequality in South Africa were challenged. His 27 years of imprisonment before eventually overcoming said adversity and bringing about change in South Africa I find to be extremely inspirational as exemplified by one of his many incredible quotes: "Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." This quote can be applied to each and every one of us. In our lives, we all experience failure. However, we experience failure for one crucial reason: So we how to achieve actual success.This was a man who had every reason to become a bitter shell in the face of such hopelessness that only the harsh realities of challenging an oppressive system can bring about. However, he refused to gaze into the abyss, and helped bring about change in South Africa. One can only hope that the world can find some way to fill the void this man left behind.