Saying goodbye to Alex Trebek

The colors of the autumn of life
St. Thomas, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

News that Alex Trebek died this morning at the age of 80 didn't come as a surprise - he had been battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer - but it still feels as if Canada has lost an important voice. And I'd be remiss if I didn't share a thought here.

The longtime host of Jeopardy has long been the exemplar of the good Canadian son who achieves success afar, but never forgets where he comes from. In quintessentially Canadian fashion, most of us felt his influence.

I was part of my high school's Reach for the Top team. Think Quiz Bowl for nerdy academics. We watched game shows as part of our training, and I had stacks of VHS tapes with Alex Trebek's name on them, study material for my crash course in trivia game show technique.

We got wasted by the eventual provincial champions in the first round, but the experience represented my first taste of a television studio, and I was hooked. We'll save discussion of my on-air swear-fest for another day.

I choose to share this picture now because it reminds me that no one is guaranteed anything. We are given a set amount of time, and then it ends. Crying foul over losing cultural heroes like Alex Trebek does nothing to change the reality. It is how life works.

I'd rather focus on how he made use of the time he had, and how his inspiration, from humble Canadian roots in Sudbury to icon of a generation, ultimately inspired the minds and souls of countless folks. Including me.

The leaves you see here shrivelled and died soon after I took this picture last month. But while they were here, they mattered, and they imprinted themselves on those lucky enough to have encountered them.

If you take nothing else away from the news of Alex Trebek's passing, let it be this: He mattered. He imprinted.

Please make sure you can do the same with the time you've been given.

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