I was deeply honoured to be invited to Lord 'Dickie' Attenborough's memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday with a stellar line up of guests from showbiz, sport and politics present. It was a great occassion and Westminster Abbey never looked better with all it's beauty in the early Spring sunshine. There were many highlights but a particularly one for me was Sir Ben Kingsley and Geraldine James OBE reading from "The Writings of Gandhi'. As you probably know 'Gandhi' the feature film directed by Lord Attenborough was one of his life's work and Gandhi the man spiritually embodied everything that Lord Attenborough believed. I believe that Gandhi's wise words are as relevant today as they were then - see below - I hope you enjoy!
The Writings of Gandhi
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow-beings.
What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether mad destruction is wrought in the name of totalitarianism, or in the holy name of liberty and democracy?
There are many causes I would die for. Not one I would kill for. An eye for an eye only turns the whole world blind.
Poverty is the worst form of violence.
Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none is so degrading, so shocking or so brutal, as his abuse of the better half of humanity; the female sex.
Terrorism is a weapon not of the strong, but of the weak.
Civilisation is the encouragement of differences.
The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.
When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it - always.
There are no good-byes.
Wherever you'll be, you'll be in my heart.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) The Lord Attenborough CBE (1923-2014)