Serve, connect, inspire - Life lessons from a centenarian

In his 100 years of life, who would have thought the very last year would be the most glorious?

Like millions in the UK, I have been in awe of Captain Tom Moore, who walked daily laps around his house with the help of his walking frame, to raise money for the NHS during the months leading to his 100th birthday, as his country and its health system grappled with the COVID pandemic. His target was to raise £1,000. He raised £33,000,000. For his monumental service to his country, he was knighted by the Queen and received the ‘Sir’ title. Michael Ball sang ‘You’ll never walk alone’ live on BBC for him. He then dueted the song with Ball and the record made it to number 1 on music charts for weeks. He gave over 150 media interviews. He opened a Twitter account. British GQ named him ‘Inspiration of the year’. He received 150,000 birthday cards for his 100th birthday, showing the love and admiration people had for him. He accomplished all this in his very last year of life, between his 99th and 100th birthdays.

If this doesn’t give one renewed hunger to continue, pull through, rise up, elevate, LIVE, I don’t know what would.

Captain Tom is a testament to life itself. His perseverance and heroism are proof to the continuous reinvention, transformation and connection potential that we humans all possess, till our last breath. How he integrated his mind, soul, and body to propel himself and millions of others to create and witness the ‘impossible’ is one hope-filled life lesson to live by.

In the dark, hamster-wheel like, fear-ridden weeks of the lockdown in Spring 2020, he sure was my reason to get up and get back on the saddle, on many mornings.

As a war veteran and a family man, I am sure Captain Tom had his share of success, joy, and pride in life. His last act, though, at the prime age of 100 has been one GRAND finale. In the last year, I often thought of how he might have felt, as the 100th year of his life unfolded, nothing short of miraculous.

Captain Tom, you have taught millions that it is never over, before it is over. Rest in peace Captain, Sir, centenarian, hero, philanthropist, Samaritan, human. Wherever you go, you will never walk alone.