We lost Sir Patrick Stewart this week.

I’m not really a big celebrity-watcher. I don’t tend to form that kind of relationship with famous people. I do occasionally, so I do understand it. But it’s rare for me; I’m just not built like that.

Sir Patrick is one of those rare few. I’m feeling the loss the last few days.

I don’t remember my childhood all that well. But one thing that does stand out is watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. Sir Patrick, of course, played Captain Picard in the show. It’s hard to know exactly what impact his performance had on my life. But when I think of characters who represent the best of humanity in some way, Picard is always near the top of that list. His morality and ethical behaviour feel uncommon among protagonists in drama.

By all accounts I’ve read, Sir Patrick himself was a fundamentally decent man. Perhaps this is one of the reasons I’m feeling the sadness of this loss; the world seems quite bleak lately, and that decency is something we could really do with seeing more of.

Rest in peace.

Sir Patrick, among the stars, remembered.

🖖