 I found myself face to face with the great leaders and thinkers of all time that year. I participated in Nelson Mandela's struggle for freedom in South Africa. I floated down the Yangtze River with Mao Zedong. I've been behind the scenes with Harry Truman as he made the decision to drop the atom bomb. What a great thrill it is to learn of the difficulties of great men and women have wrestled with in their lives and how they've overcome their challenges.