It's hard to put into words my memories of Muhammad Ali. He was great and he was pretty but above all he was a good human being. In his own words, 'Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.'

What can we learn from his life? He persevered and although he hated training he did it as it served his goal. I know I often struggle with doing the 'dirty' work required in order to reach the finish.

He was a man of principle who sacrificed celebrity and title to stand up for his belief and refusing to be drafted into the army for the Vietnam war. I wonder sometimes how resolute I would be if faced with a similar choice.

Behind all the bluster and the (very clever) trash tak and bravado was a deeply humble man who seemed capable of seperating himself from the celebrity persona of Ali. That in itself shows a man who could remain true to himself despite being the most famous man on the planet at one point.

It has been a privilege to share time on the planet with him.

Here's my humble tribute. It's available for free download here.

Fran