'Invictus' for Nelson Mandela Day

Today (July 18) is Nelson Mandela Day, a day that celebrates a phenomenal individual who inspired and touched the lives of many.  Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison during the period of apartheid in South Africa. Yet the injustice he endured never embittered him, nor did it cause him to seek revenge on those who wronged him. On the contrary, he emerged from prison to lead his country in a process of reconciliation and unity building. He is a shining example of the power of love to overcome all.
For 95 years he strove to make the world a better place, so today, on his birthday, people everywhere can celebrate and honour his life by acting on the idea that each person has the power to change the world. And if ever there was a time for people to stand for love, unity and forgiveness, that time is now.
A few years ago, I set one of Nelson Mandela’s favourite poems, Invictus, to music.  In times of difficulty, he would turn to this poem for inspiration and solace.  This is one of my favourite compositions because of the melody and the emotion in the piece.  I feel the song captures the essence of the poem.  Here is a link to listen to and purchase ‘Invictus’.  Be sure to watch the video below created by my son.  It moves me every time I watch it.

My son created a video for ‘Invictus’ a few years ago.  You can view it here.  I hope you enjoy!