Nelson Mandela has been asked many times how he emerged from all those years in prison without being bitter. His reply is simple: “Bitterness only hurts oneself.” Oddly, many who are bitter fully realize this, yet they still can’t forgive. They rationally understand that bitterness is self-impoverishing, but they continue to harbor it. How did Nelson Mandela overcome his feelings? The answer can be found in his own words: “If you hate, you will give them your heart and mind. Don’t give those two things away.”
