An old car dealer friend with the chutzpah of a ring-master on steroids used to always say second place was just first place for losers.
At the time we’d congratulated him on a silver medal or something and he wasn’t buying it. Maybe that was just his way of coping with not winning gold.
While we all love to win, and competition is the foundation of most contests, there is merit in recognizing effort and celebrating those who prevailed.
At Thursday’s county council meeting, we hope peers and colleagues stood together to celebrate wins and commiserate over losses from this past election.
We have great respect for those who run for office and take on the burden of governing an electorate that isn’t always easy to please. And truthfully, it is a burden. For no one we know or have had the experience of doing business with enters local politics with the intention of doing a bad job, or making bad choices.
About all we can conclude after covering such topics for over two decades is that the penchant for change never ends and rarely has the public’s choice ever been wrong.
To survive public life, you must believe in the infinite wisdom of the voters, for that is what our system of democracy is based on. Most things in life happen for a reason, only understood in the fullness of time.
But losses smart and they hurt.
Despite the best smiles and hearty cheer, there are many people, many whom we are proud to think of as friends, who lost a seat this term or didn’t make it this election.
As their time becomes their own again, we hope sadness gives way to the notion that time spent in service of one’s community is an honour few ever have the privilege to experience.
For those with storied years of service, we hope they and their colleagues will reflect on the good times and the unimaginable opportunity they were entrusted with over their time on council.
