John McCain taught me the true meaning of the "i" word

​This morning I woke up to the news of John McCain's death at 81.  Unless you follow US politics, you won't probably know him.  

John McCain was a navy pilot, prisoner of war, conservative political personage, senator, the twice-defeated presidential candidate with a twinkle in his eye and of course very funny.  

I just don't know how he did it all.  John McCain survived plane crashes, many rounds of skin cancer and often appeared to be enduringly waging a race against time and his morality while attempting to ensure that his long five years as a Vietnam prisoner of war didn't stand as the defining struggle of his life.  

I have yet to read his memoir that was published earlier in the summer.  He spent his last few months out of the public eye in Arizona, reflecting on the purpose of his life and receiving visits from a wave of friends and associates, and even old political opponents.  McCain wrote in his memoir that he 'hated to leave the world, but he had no complaints.'  

His late Senate colleague from Massachusetts - Tedd Kennedy - died from the same form of brain cancer that eventually killed McCain.  Both men died on August 25th.  

John McCain will be remembered in many ways.  He was a man of honor and integrity.  I didn't agree with his position on many issues but how he lived his life taught me that the highest quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.  Without it, no real progress is possible, no matter where we are and what we do.  Honesty and integrity are by far the most important quality that cannot be measured by money, title or position, without it nothing else really matters.