Death of a Sportsman

This past week saw the very sad death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes. Hughes died at the age of 25 after being struck on the head by a ball in a game between South Australia and New South Wales. An unspeakable tragedy for his family, his death has had a profound impact in his native Australia with the Sydney Morning Herald running the simple headline 'We love you.'

But even beyond his homeland Phillip Hughes' death has come as sad and sobering news to many - even to many people who in normal times would not be close followers of cricket. What is it about the death of a famous sportsman that hits people so hard? That's the question picked up in a very thoughtful article written by the BBC's Chief Sports Writer Tom Fordyce. In the article Fordyce reflects on how such a death confronts each of us with our own mortality, and reveals the realities of human vulnerability, something with which we all must reckon.

A verse from Psalm 90 vs 12 speaks to all of us at a time like this:

'Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.'

Tom Fordyce's full article can be read on the BBC Sport Website.