False inspiration.

The following quote is quite often used in devotions, sermons, lectures and any other form of public speaking. It reads as follows,

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.
Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Speech [full quote here]

Whilst the words are great, it is not just the literary content that contains meaning. Many people draw inspiration from the fact that Nelson Mandela could go through so much pain and suffering, and still have such an attitude. The quote has inspired many people to do better in many aspects of their life. we should all congratulate Mandela for saying it. Oh, except he didn't.

The fully copy of Mandela's Inauguration speech is available to read here. It's a good speech, plenty of patriotism, plenty of optimism, plenty of charisma, but the above quote is nowhere to be seen. This could have something to do with the fact that Mandela never actually said those famous words. They infact came from a lady called Marianne Williamson, from a book that she authored which was entitled "A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles". All this time people have been drawing inspiration from a source that was, essentially, false. The words themselves still have great power, but they lose much of the meaning that is associated with Mandela's plight.

The big question: does it matter? I suppose that really it doesn't. If people are living better lives because of it who really cares who it was by. I must say, I do feel for for old Mrs. Williamson. Imagine having such a stroke of genius, and then the quote wrongly being attributed to somebody else. Shocking.