When Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London was being built, somebody asked one of the stonemasons what he did. He replied blandly that he cut stone. He asked the same question of another mason, who said that he was building a wall. He then approached a third mason and asked him what he did. That man looked up and said: I’m building a cathedral to the glory of God.
My uncle, who served in North Africa during World War 2, was an officer’s batman – his personal valet, and he never rose beyond the rank of private. But to the day he died he would proudly quote Sir Winston Churchill, who said: ‘And when, in years to come, people ask what you did in the war, and you will say: “I marched and fought with the Desert Army” it will be enough.’
No-one feels a nobody when they are part of a great endeavour.