A Legend And True Inspiration.

So my first blog has to be about my greatest hero and inspiration. Through years of interactions with people I have found that everyone has their own perception of what hardship is. For some people it's the disruption when they are having a new kitchen installed, for some it's their car breaking down, for another it might be not being able to go on holiday this year.

For me one of the difficult times was when I was doing my first degree. Getting up to travel 3 hours there and back to University then working evenings and weekends while taking care of my young son and the heartbreak over not spending the time I wanted with my young son.

At that time I wanted to be reminded that actually this was not hardship but an opportunity to provide my son with a better life. I was constantly aware of people who do not have homes or who were very sick. I was aware of children living in squalor or without parents. Nothing I was going through was hard in comparison. I wanted to be reminded that there are amazing people who go through hardship and succeed. I wanted to not give up when I felt like giving up.

Nelson Mandela was always a hero of mine and I knew he had endured severe and true hardship. I read this book to find out more about his background and the struggles he endured. The fact that he was a black man was never a consideration as to whether I read the book or consider him a hero, he just was, and is, in my opinion probably the greatest human alive during my time. His life portrayed in this book inspired me to never give up. I didn't have to study by candlelight in a tiny prison cell. My hardship was never hardship and I have learned to reset my "hardship gauge" until nothing I have gone through is actually hardship.

I recommend this book to anyone studying who feels like giving up but wants to succeed. I'm sharing this because I want other people who may feel like giving up their studies to be inspired.