He is close to death as all of the people in the world pause to grieve over the passing of such a person that makes everyone more than what we are or we each dare to be. Nelson Mandela walked in the world in which we are walking. Nelson Mandela breathed the air that we breathe. Nelson Mandela looked up into the sky in the same universe as we do. He gave us pause to reflect on our humanity and our fragility. As we sit and wait for the news we must also be immeasurably blessed that we stood on the same ground that this everyday hero walked, knelt, slept curled in his cell and grieved over his mother's, and his son's death. Now it has come to be his turn and we all curl in a ball in a cell of our own fashion. But we will not forget the gift that was given to all humanity by this humble warrior of the spirit. His reconciliation trials was a path for us all to revel in and his craft of a coalition for all to share, his lifting of the spirit of the people and helping them to resist the temptation of slaughter made us all weep with the milk of loving kindness.
Welcome home Nelson Mandela. You, who wore your heart openly for all to know, we will never breathe without your breath sustaining us in the furnace of the forge of human compassion.