Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech

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 worl.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking.

So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of god that is within us.

It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.

And as we let our light shine,

We unconciously 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