From Age to Agelessness
I have started to say
"A quarter of a century"
Or "thirty years back"
About my own life.
I remember reading that Larkin poem lamenting that I never wanted that to happen to me.
Is it 25 years since Euro '96, when three of us drank the gallon before staggering into Wembley, to see England lose to Germany? It is. It really is. I tried to find the photographs of us falling over our seats at the match, but all I could get hold of was a pic of a load of kids I went to school with and kept in touch with. God bless 'em.
It's funny how people use significant sporting events as the milestones of life. I've still got my scrapbook of the 1972 Olympic games with many pictures of one of the greatest ever Olympians, Mark Spitz.
I think Lockdown Three has led to periods of self-reflection for many millions of people.
In his quirky book of reflections, Novacene, the great James Lovelock says:
"That which we are, we are. That is the wisdom of great age, the acceptance of our impermanence while drawing consolation from the memories of what we did and what, with luck, we might yet do. Also, perhaps, we can hope that our contribution will not be entirely forgotten as wisdom and understanding spread outwards from the Earth to embrace the cosmos."
To not be entirely forgotten. That's not a bad aspiration, I guess. Let's hope we never forget England's performance this evening.
Pictured: John Robb
From Age to Agelessness - John Robb Interview
Punk Rock's renaissance man is my guest on the latest episode of Person of Interest. John is an unrelenting optimist. He's 60 but looks 40 - not many punk rockers can claim that accolade. It's one of my favourite interviews. If you like glam, punk, faith, non-league football, politics or Kidderminster, I think you'll like it too.
If you can cope with watching me speak for four and a bit minutes, here is my first speech in the House of Lords. I hoped to describe Wyre Forest and big up Bewdley Civic Society, but debate time was cut. I’ll find another opportunity to do this in the new year.