As one of my colleagues so eloquently said last week, we are all wearing our heart at half mast as we collectively mourn the loss of one of sustainability’s greatest leaders and heroes. I have not met anyone who didn’t think Ray Anderson was an inspiring, visionary, courageous, passionate, and humble leader for the sustainability movement. He touched us all, and inspired us all to raise the bar higher, to create bold visions and sustainability goals and to move toward them with relentless commitment and courage. And with Interface’s tremendous accomplishments he gave us all hope and the proof of possibility that climbing to the top of Mount Sustainability was indeed possible. The world needs more Ray Andersons.

Many of you who knew Ray or heard him speak will be familiar with the poem Tomorrow’s Child, which was written by an Interface employee, Glenn Thomas, inspired by Interface’s sustainability mission. 

Last week on Ray’s Memorium blog I read a new poem written by Glenn in honour of Ray. It’s written as a response from tomorrow’s Child and it touched me deeply and I share it here with all of you. Thank you to Glenn Thomas for this beautiful and touching tribute to Ray.

When Love and Common Sense Combined
A Poem From Tomorrow’s Child

Because you cared so long ago

although you know you’d never know

If anything you’d do or say

would make a difference here today.

Though you saw you’d never see,

yet you cared so much for me;

An unknown name, a hidden face,

a future time and secret place.

And when you threw away your fear

like a tired souvenir,

And learned that being strong

meant admitting you were wrong

I marked that day with humankind

when love and common sense combined,

And to my benefit unfurled

a rich endowment for the world.

Thanks, Ray.