<p>I was watching a programme on BBC 2 about the cat and mouse activities of US and Soviet submarines during the Cold War. A programme I was likely to forget as soon as it had ended - but now I never will.</p> <p>In the morning just after 7am, my phone rang with the Shropshire Star wanting comments on the death of the great man. My emotions and grief were still very raw and I searched around for something to say very quickly. &quot;I felt like God had died last night&quot;, then I thought to myself, given my love and fondness for the English language , I hoped that hyperbole hadn’t got the better of me.</p> <p>After a few more seconds I managed to rationalise my thoughts and emotions and express this more clearly.</p> <p>No words can do justice for this giant of a human being or describe his achievements, his suffering, his humanity, his politeness, his forgiveness and his reconciliation with his enemy.</p> <p>We are often asked if we would have liked to have lived through a particular time in history or in a life time of a particular person and I am glad that I lived in the life time of Nelson Mandela.</p> <p>Like thousands of politicians throughout the world, he was an inspiration to people like me who work in multi-cultural, multi-faith communities like Telford and Wrekin.</p> <p>A 19th century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem, &quot;A Psalm of life&quot;, writes:</p> <p>Lives of great men all remind us,<br />We can make our lives sublime,<br />And, departing, leave behind us,<br />Footprints on the sands of time.</p> <p>Nelson Mandela has certainly left his footprints on the sands of our time.</p> <p>A book of commemoration for Nelson Mandela is now in the First Point reception of our offices at Addenbrooke House in Telford town centre for anyone who wishes to sign this. This will then be forwarded to the South African Embassy.</p>
