46664

Today is Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday. Mandela has always been an inspirational figure for me. He has faced so much in his life that could have easily left him jaded or worse filled with hatred and yet he has consistently turned a tragedy, setback, or injustice into something magnificent. He has been empowered by his ability to empathize...and perhaps even more difficult to forgive.

46664 is the identification number Nelson Mandela was assigned while imprisoned in South Africa and is now the primary symbol of the Mandela Foundation. I have seriously considered "46664" as my next tattoo--to always remind me that I can make it. That there's always tomorrow...and that our deepest fear is not inadequacy but that we are powerful beyond measure. But until I'm ready to go under the ink again, this will have to do:

The Nelson Mandela Foundation sells these copper bangles as the South African Bracelet of Hope. There are other bracelets for sale as well (silver, gold & platinum), but those are beyond my broke-law-student-budget. To learn more about Nelson Mandela, 46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, click HERE.