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.
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
- by William Earnest Henley
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Ah, exquisite! I think this poem is now on the top of my list of favorites.
I just watched the film with the same title and I was struck once again by the unifying effects of sports, especially team sports. I this case, the sport is Rugby and South Africa's victory at the 1995 rugby world cup helped the country in their much needed recovery after abolishment of Apartheid.
In the film, Mandela asked Pienaar, " How do you lead your team?" and Pienaar answered, " By example, sir." Very simple, yet the best answer I think. It wasn't the first thing that came to my mind, I was thinking more in the lines of motivation and inspiration, yet it is true; before we can inspire and motivate as leaders it is best to lead by example and in severe cases, it is also useful to draw upon the example of others.
I saw a great parallel in teaching. As teachers, we are leaders. In these troubled times all the more we should be leading by example as well as employing the examples of others in order to guide our students in becoming good citizens. We are building our nation, one class at a time and what we are doing is similar to what nation builders such as Nelson Mandela did.
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