Anyone can write a book. Put a pen to paper or get those fingers moving on your computer’s keyboard. Type or print or write a word. Then another. Now a sentence, then a paragraph, put together a chapter and repeat. Do this over and over again. At the end of it you will have a book. See? All it takes is time.

That’s the easy part.

The hard part is writing a book people want to read.

I finished what I hope is the final edit on my book yesterday. And I’ll be honest with you, the process was not easy. At some point you decide you want the story to be well told. And that meant I had to throw out most of what I had written and start again. The first version was a mere shadow of this final draft. Thank goodness.

And thank goodness I’ve had the help of so many people over the last year with the process. When the time comes I will spend hours writing the acknowledgment section of my book to make sure I include all those precious names. My heart has not forgotten one of you.

Here’s the sad part.

I have done what anyone could do. I wrote a book. No big deal. Anyone can do it.

Here’s the tough part.

The next step is to find an agent. And with luck, to find an agent that finds an interested publisher. Yes, I know there are other endless options but it all comes down to the same cold, hard fact: “Will someone want to read my book?” and maybe even more so: “Will enough someones want to read my book?”

That is the crazy making part.

It’s why I called my book “The Long Game.”

I love politics. Even when I’m getting knocked down with the drama and challenge that comes with a political game, I still love to play. There is a little bit of politics in everything and for me it’s the ultimate show.

Human nature plays a big role in politics. At least it does from my perspective. Good or bad, right or wrong, yes or no; the decision will come down to a person’s integrity.  And my vote will always come down to how I perceive it.

The clincher is when I find “intent with integrity” and that is what I heard and felt listening to Humza Yousaf at SFU last week. I had attended a private event the night before and had the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one… my overlying thought was, I want to vote for this man. I want to follow his path. I like him. And how come we don’t have these types of politicians in Vancouver today?

Humza is a member of the Scottish Government. Google him, you will be amazed.

I’m in a lucky position to personally know some people that have made politics their life’s work.  They are good, decent humans wanting to do what’s right. The public throws politicians into the same garbage can, and that’s ridiculous and racist. I can guarantee you the people I have become close to are upstanding types (and you know I would be quick to call out the scum.)

But back to Humza. He’s young, and intense and clearly making the most of what he does best. His plate is full with the mission to make Scotland a better place. He was here in Vancouver to attract business to Scotland as well as preach the “yes” vote in the upcoming referendum.

I agreed when a friend said, “We are seeing the future of politics in Scotland.”

For me, it will always come down to how we relate as human beings…

That first meeting, Humza leaned in and listened as I shared my story of how his government helped locate my birth-family history in Scotland. I saw empathy and a touch of pride in his eyes. But most of all, I saw a man caring about another person’s life.

We need more people like that.