Thank you, Captain Sir Tom Moore

People's hero: Captain Sir Tom Moore

"To all those people who are finding it difficult at the moment, the sun will shine on you again, and the clouds will go away," Captain (later Sir) Tom Moore said. "Tomorrow will be a good day."

In the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic he emerged as a beacon of light and hope. Captain Sir Tom Moore, as he became once knighted by Queen Elizabeth II last summer, represented the spirt of the nation - and humanity in general - during the great challenge of our time.

It started in April 2020, with much of the world in lockdown as the pandemic spread. Captain Tom captured the hearts of the nation when he set himself a target of walking 100 lengths of the patio at his home to raise 1,000 pounds for charities that support the National Health Service. He aimed to complete his 100 laps, using a stroller, before his then upcoming 100th birthday.

He did it, and in the process gained national prominence and became a rallying point, a symbol for hope, and much more. He had lived and served through the Second World War, and had 100 years of life experience to draw upon. He was also one of us, and reflected and articulated the simple hopes many had but were afraid to utter. When those "sun will shine again" words came from a man of such longevity and worldly-experience, they meant much. 

He achieved his goal of 100 laps, and the public responded. Close to 33 million pounds was raised for the charities supporting the NHS.

Captain Sir Tom died this week, and there is a great feeling of loss. I reflected on what he embodied  as I sat, coincidently, in a place known as "Tom Moore's Jungle" in Bermuda, although it has no connection to Captain Sir Tom.

In a blog post last June, I mentioned Captain Sir Tom as I wrote about the surreal pandemic experience.  His humble humility and spark of belief lifted the hearts of the people in the United Kingdom and far beyond.

I salute you Captain Sir Tom, and I'm thankful to have had you in our midst.

This surreal pandemic experience

Tomorrow will be a good day:
Captain Tom Moore was among the heroes who
were a light to the world during the pandemic

Did it all really happen? I ask myself.
The past four months feel like a surreal dream, in which we have all been cocooned in an isolated lifestyle, a globally shared singular experience the like of which has never happened in living memory.

From watching, with unusual interest, each turn and twist in the daily news, to cheering for heroes - the NHS, and Captain (now Sir) Tom Moore, who was a light to the world and told us "Tomorrow will be a good day".

We witnessed images of city streets deserted, and stared at the blue sky, glorious and untrammelled by the vapor trails of planes.

The world took on a hush and the sounds of nature, of wildlife and birdsong, came to the fore to soothe our anxious minds.

Who will ever forget the children's rainbow artwork for the NHS adorning countless windows and doors. They brought joy and a feeling of togetherness and hope, and lifted my spirit when I saw them while travelling on a near empty bus, through a subdued land, for a rare grocery errand.

Yes, the land was subdued, but also recharging. Values about what is important in life and what are mere niceties or extravagancies, were being challenged.

There has been a recalibrating of what we know, love and cherish; a greater appreciation for the wonder of life and the world, and for the people we see, often in fleeting glimpses, but who are sharing the all-encompassing experience that defines the moment and will be remembered for as long as those us here today are still around.

Did it all really happen, this global coronavirus pandemic? The rainbows in the windows say yes.