As Jews, we say a prayer each morning thanking God for another day.  It is called “modei ani”.  We are thankful that G-d watches over our soul as we sleep and returns it to us each morning.  The last line challenges us to be the best that we can be, each day.

My girlfriend (and walking buddy) is from South Africa.  She keeps close, the words that Nelson Mandela shared when he was released from 27  years in prison.  Her 5 children have heard these words many times:

“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, fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  We were born to make namifest the glory of God 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 fromour own fear, our presense automatically liberates others.”

Our children pray “modei ani” each morning in “t’fillah” (prayer) at our Jewish Day School.   The teachers asked the children about the last line of the prayer.  “Why should we be the best that we can be?”

My girlfriend’s son, age 6, replied:  “Nelson Mandela says that we have God inside of us.   We have to try to be as good as the part of God that is inside of each of us.”

I find that 5 and 6 year olds get the concepts that are really important.  You know the whole thing:  Everything I learned, I learned in kindergarten.  Well, it is true.  The fluffy stuff seems to go over their heads, while the real stuff sticks.  They just get it.  And if we could all take a lesson from them, we would stay focused on the real stuff too.  We are all capable of living our lives to the fullest.  We all have that piece of God inside of us just waiting to shine.   There is a difference in the world, that only we can make.