Today on the 3rd anniversary of my mother's death, our personal loss is deepened by the tragedy that has enveloped the Polish nation. On the flight to attend the commemorations of the Katyn massacres was a large section of the country's political and social leadership. Amongst them were also respected representatives of the Polish community in Britain.
Those of us who were born in this country after the war have lost those who were a link to the independent Poland that existed between the two world wars. We were brought up to believe in a country of romantic idealists, to believe that courage, honour and integrity were the most important of human virtues. Our heroes were passionate, colourful and, invariably, doomed individuals.
This country bore little resemblance to the post-war state that we visited when some of the restrictions to travel were lifted or to the current re-incarnation of an independent Poland.
Perhaps the tragic accident that occurred this week will make us reflect on what it means to be Polish, to re-evaluate what we hold dear and to embrace as our true Polish heroes those that have shown those noble qualities that we believed in. May their memory guide us in the way we live our lives.
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