I was recently reminded of some powerful words used by Nelson Mendela in his 1994 inaugural speech while reading the book Bags to Riches, by Linda Hollander:

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 world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant ot shine, as children do.
We are born to make manifest the glory of Fod that is within us.
It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.


Onward dear friends!

Dotsie,
Thank you for posting this. Very wise. Got it on my bullitin board now.

Oh good. I know you love quotes and inspirational messages. Happy to add to your collection.

I posted this on my bulletin board too, right beside Popea's beautiful poem that she sent me awhile back. Both are so inspiring, I love to read them over and over again.

I give parts of this in a speech that I sometimes offer. The funny thing is that its so true. We are so afraid of succeeding sometimes that we sabatoge our own efforts. In other words, we get in the way of ourselves.

I love this...

Dotsie~~I love the part "we are all meant to shine as children do" Sometimes in this difficult world we forget who we are. We lose sight of our importance. I've never had self-esteem so that part made me really think. "to shine like a child"


Blessings~~Madalyn

Madalyn, my confidence and self-esteem come from the Lord. This morning I did a live segment for an ABC internet show on the elderly. I took a little study with me that is loaded with Bible quotes that are encouraging and read through them before entering the building.

Dotsie: I believe we are indeed, meant to shine, as children of God. My self esteem comes from knowing I am His child and He has a purpose for me. Who am I not to let Him fulfill it?

That is a beautiful quote. I wish each person knows how important we are to the eyes of the Lord. Thank for sharing it!

Dotsie: I was checking this quote out, and seems it does not belong to N. Mandela, but to Marianne Williamson, an inspirational author. Seems this quote is from her book "A Retrun to Love". Check out her website at
http://marianne.com