Photo by Cary Bass
As a freelance writer, my days are my own and yet there are forces that pull on me and interrupt the flow of work. Many are welcome interruptions- family, friends, the garden, a bike ride, a hike on a beautiful trail.
Others, not so welcome. Like yesterday, when I heard that Jack Layton, leader of the opposition in Canada died. The news stopped me. He was one of those short guys, who you could say was bigger than life.
I wasn’t always a fan of his politics but his tenacity and conviction swayed me in the end. Maybe earlier, I was manipulated by the media or other naysayers who couldn’t trust his ideas and poked holes in his vision.
Jack Layton was for the little guy, so his ideas weren’t always popular. The little guy isn’t the one who has the money or the power, but Jack wasn’t concerned about sucking up to the corporate elite. He championed the homeless, seniors, and the first nations people who had been abused during their time in residential schools. He was also for the environment. It wasn’t just a political move to gain votes. He practiced what he preached. Before his rise in federal politics, he was known as the bicycle riding city councilor in Toronto.
And now he’s gone. Life doesn’t always give you cherries, but he was around long enough to leave some sweet taste of politics, which is an amazing feat in a climate of political mistrust. He will be missed, but hopefully his legacy will carry on, and others following in his footsteps won’t forget the little guy.
He ended his final letter to Canadians by saying:
“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.”
Were his closing words, ‘pie in the sky thinking’, or a philosophy that is overdue for the human race?
Well said, Diana.