Invincible

During the Christmas Holidays I was able to spend a few days with my friend Sam, a former Pastor from Yale University. Sam, a veteran of the Infantry, helped Italian villagers during post-WWII reconstruction, and spent most of his life helping the poor and needy in his community, as a leader of the YMCA and the United Church of Christ.

Our friendship goes back to 1989, when he helped me with my research work for a thesis on racial discrimination and protest movements in the U.S. He opened doors for me to talk to the Dean of Yale Law School, former Black Panther activists and members of the Kennedy Administration, including Burke Marshall, RFK's right-hand at Justice. I owe him a great master thesis that earned rave reviews at my college in Urbino, Italy. More importantly, I owe him 22 years of great friendship, even if keeping in touch has been a challenge sometime.

On a rainy afternoon of December 26, Sam and I tried to decide where to go – kind of an awkward day, with most acquaintances and friends already having plans with families. We were talking about my last couple of years in hell. He was moved by my description of my sister’s courage fighting a "monster" disease for almost 4 years. Despite pains and setbacks, she was able to compose music, write books, help people in similar situations and conduct a semi-normal life with her loving husband. We talked about the end of my marriage, after almost 18 years, and my efforts to refocus my life and be a good father to my children. Suddenly an idea jumped at me. I proposed to go to a local movie theater for the showing of Clint Eastwood’s latest film, Invictus, a movie on Nelson Mandela’s early years as President of South Africa.

The movie was excellent. It revolved around how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela was faced with a nation racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he could bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallied South Africa's rugby team during the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship match.

Driving home after the movie we shared our thoughts about the film and what meant to us. To me, meant resurrection, coming back from life’s pains and adversities, sticking to principles and becoming a role model for others. Mandela was able to walk alive from 27 years of confinement in a small prison cell. He led his Country out of apartheid and brought democracy and freedom to people who never experienced it before.

To Sam, the film meant defying injustice and bringing freedom and democracy to millions of people. He visited South Africa during the Apartheid and experienced first-hand the ugliness of discrimination. He described the great changes the Country benefited from in the last 17 years.

Invictus sends more than one message but they’re all on target. Strength, courage, perseverance, leadership and humanity: Nelson Mandela’s outstanding life meant so many things to so many people. That is the power of a man whose head was bloody but unbowed under the bludgeonings of chance (Invictus). Nelson Mandela led his people yesterday - his example is leading me today.

Stefano