Some quotes feel important because they sound grand. Others stay alive because they feel personal. Nelson Mandela’s words seem to belong to the second category. At first glance, the quote appears to be speaking only about language. Someone reads it and may think it is a simple observation about communication. Read it again, though, and it starts feeling larger than that. It begins to sound like a reflection on human nature itself.
People understand information every day. They read headlines, answer emails, listen to instructions, and sit through conversations. Understanding words is not difficult in many situations. Feeling connected through those words is a different experience entirely. That difference is where Mandela seems to be placing his attention.
