This post was published in the Huffington Post on December 20, 2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michele-hunt/ Last Sunday while attending a celebration in honor of Nelson Mandela's life I had an epiphany; Nelson Mandela deeply touched my spirit on five synchronistic moments that came at critical times in my life. His loving spirit, unwavering optimism, and remarkable courage inspired me to find light in some of my darkest moments. During these times I might have fallen victim to cynicism however, Mandela's example helped me to rise above my personal struggles and focus my energy on helping to create a better world. Mandela's life inspired me to continue to dream big and reinforced my core values of love, peace and the belief that the world can be changed. In short, Nelson Mandela helped shape my belief in DreamMakers. He also helped to confirm my commitment to being an unapologetic optimist. This way of being, thinking and working has brought me grea