Today while at work, I overheard my boss say something and I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or on the phone. When he first said it, I wasn’t sure what he said but I asked him to repeat himself. Then I realized what he was saying, Jack Layton passed away this morning!

I was shocked. Kind of sad. Layton passed away because of cancer. I wouldn’t say he “lost his battle” or “his journey ended” because I rather not think that anybody loses a battle to cancer. To lose a “battle” to something, just seems like you were defeated as a person. I would much rather think that someone fought as hard as they could and their journey is beginning onto another stage. That is what I believe.

This post isn’t about what I believe in though. I read Jack Layton’s letter just now and I really appreciated how he thought of other people who have loved ones with cancer or who have cancer themselves. He also reached out to members of parliamentary caucus, young Canadians, all Canadians…there are other groups he reached out to through his letter but I suggest you read the letter to find out. You can read his letter HERE.

Seeing a leader to take the time to have final words of encouragement for the rest of Canada was really something remarkable to see and read. The last paragraph within his letter really moved me and I include those same words here:

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.

Loving. Hopeful. Optimistic. My prayers go out to his family and friends.