When the news broke Monday morning of Jack Layton's untimely death, Canadians from Coast to Coast reacted with shock and sadness.
Most had never met the man, so to see the outpouring of emotion by so many was truly amazing. Candlelight vigils and memorials popped up in every community, it seemed - including here in Sechelt.
Layton battled cancer before and won that fight, declaring that he was cancer-free and ready for his next fight - winning the May federal election. And he and the New Democrats came pretty close, didn't they?
A feisty Layton, cane in hand, rallied the young demographic of this country and invigorated the older populace in an unprecedented orange crush of support during the campaign that swept the NDP into Official Opposition status - something that no NDP party leader had done before.
What Layton was able to accomplish is a feat fit for the record books and of historical proportions that will be remembered for generations to come.
In July, Layton put on a brave face as he addressed the nation again, saying that a different form of cancer had emerged and, like the true fighter he was, he would step aside for a while to fight again. He promised to be back in the fall for the next sitting of Parliament.
Sadly, Layton lost that fight on Monday.
In his final days, Layton penned a poignant and thoughtful address to Canadians.
He spoke about love, hope and optimism -words that he truly lived by.
"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world," he said.
Layton has changed Canada and Canadian politics for the better. He will be remembered for many things - his passion for life, his passion for this country and his passion for serving the public.
In this day and age, when the talk of politics often turns nasty, and many politicians are self-serving and in it only for themselves, Layton was a breath of fresh air. He connected with so many people on a personal level. He was, as many people said during the election campaign, a person you would love to share a beer with at your local pub. He was a common man, with uncommon dreams and hopes for a better country.
And whether you supported the NDP or not, we can all learn from the way Layton lived and from the way he died -with passion, courage and resolve.
God bless, Jack.
