Audio and text from Lindsay's Radio Pacific Editorial, Friday Sept 7:

Don't be sad about Pavarotti. He lived a rich and full life, and made ours so much richer and fuller. He helped opera hold its own while the world was succumbing to heavy metal and rap-crap. He reminded us what single-mindedness, discipline AND passion in the service of beauty and joy could achieve. He enjoyed himself, and brought rapture to his audiences. He pinged out High Cs like a champion tennis player serving aces.

The comparison is apposite. One of his friends was John McEnroe. McEnroe would have heard the news shortly after completing yesterday's American Open commentary with Andre Agassi. The match was a quarter-final between Federer and Roddick. Like the previous day's match between Nadal and Ferrer, it was a sublime demonstration of single-mindedness, guts, grit, discipline and passion.

These are life's heroes, in whatever field. They embody so well the spirit of Tennyson's words, which I dedicate to them this morning:

Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.