Friday, April 18, 2008
By now, I'm sure most of you have heard of "The Last Lecture" and Randy
Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. This wonderful man
is dying of cancer, and yet he has the courage to share with all of us how
to handle LIFES WORSE CASE SCENARIO.
topic that so many of us even hate to mention ... our own mortality. In
his "Last Lecture" at Carnegie, Dr. Pausch shared with his audience the
reality of his illness and the legacy he hopes to leave behind for his 3
young children (the oldest one is only 6 years old).
He lectured about the joy of life, his appreciation of life, and the lessons
he has learned from life. He talked about the important qualities of
character: honesty, integrity and gratitude. He acknowledged all his
important mentors and family.
In his book, "The Last Lecture", he touches upon the lecture (His video
is on You Tube, and I've attached it above. It is 76 minutes long,
but worth every moment.) and repeats much of it, but he also gives
you the story behind his decision to do this lecture. He also shares
more of his childhood, his courtship and marriage to his wife, Jai, and
his beautiful children. And, he shares his thoughts about the
remaining moments of his life.
I admit, I pretty much cried through the entire book. Some of the
tears are for him and his family and the heartache they are going
through, but many of the tears were also my own selfishness. A
reminder it isn't a matter of IF, but WHEN, that we all share the
same fate of death. And, I wonder, if I will have the presence of mind
to approach it with the same attitude.
Dr. Pausch will tell you he has the luxury of knowing, and can prepare
his family financially and create memories with his children. He can
leave his book, his videotaped lecture, and other writings and videos
for his family to view as they go through life. Many people don't get
that opportunity, or don't think about doing so in advance.
This book, Dr. Pausch's story, is a moving reminder to me about
saying "I love you" often, to say "thank you" more frequently, to keep
making memories with my children and never take for granted any
single moment on this journey through life. It also inspires me to do
a better job on this blog, this online diary. To share with my family
and friends I leave behind, who I am and what I enjoyed through this
brief passage of time.
Thank you, Randy Pausch, for your courage to share this "last lesson"
with all of us. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Sentimental Journey...
It's been awhile since I posted anything. Life does that. Christmas,
kids sports and activities, high school graduation, and other
responsibilities sometimes get in the way of sitting down
and writing.
It was a good year, but sad, as I watch another child graduate
from high school and start off on her own journey. So I've been
feeling sentimental lately, maybe even selfishly wishing for
some of this time back that is escaping me.
This is one of my favorite pictures from my childhood...I bet we
all have one like this. So typical 60's/70's family travels to the
Southwest. We always spent about a month on the road over
Christmas breaks...weaving through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
(See the blog below on those memories!)
Anyway, this picture is a postcard representation of the time and
the place. Not to mention the clothes. They were custom, one of
a kind...my mother could stretch a yard of fabric like no ones
business! (Wouldn't our kids just die if they had to wear anything
besides AE or Hollister?)
So, that is my journey back in time for today. Hope you enjoy the
picture and reminds you of your own family journeys!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Friday Night Lights
Sometimes life's most memorable journeys are the ones closest to home!
Like Friday nights at the local high school football field.
Laughing with your best friends, cheering on the boys to victory
and watching our daughters' cheer team on the sidelines...
keeps life in prespective.
Friends, families and hometowns are the mortar in our path
through life! They mold us, support us and give us strength
along our travels.
Carry laughter in your heart and a smile on your face wherever you go!
Friday, July 21, 2006
Wasn't It Just Yesterday...
Wasn't it just yesterday I was a little girl fighting for space
in the back seat of my parents car? There I was crammed into the
back seat of our Catalina with my three little sisters on one of our
family trips to Arizona. Our boney elbows digging into each other,
the "silent" arguments, "air" fists and "evil" eyes as we fought over
precious leg room. You would think being the oldest I would have
some god-given rights to twice the space as everyone else, but NO,
my sisters would just do the "whisper-threat" to yell and get me in
trouble. No amount of space was worth the risk of my father pulling
over the car and "reminding" us about getting along.
But here I am more than 30 years later, wishing that was my only
problem in life...space in the car. Instead, the daily chores of life
tend to consume me, worrying about my job, stressing about my
children, stupid, petty arguments with my husband, and worries
about money, retirement and security. Is this really all there is to life?
I'm not a deep thinker, really, and I am not someone who is
wondering what's it all about. I'm just someone who woke up
recently and realized...I need to get back to enjoying this journey
through life, because it will be over before I know it. There are no
guarantees to the amount of time on this planet for any of us, what's
the point of all these worries. Live life.
My father always seemed to be able to do that. He never stopped
moving, never stopped exploring and never stopped loving life.
From the time I could remember him, he was always on the go,
whether it was work or play. He laughed, he loved, he lived. He
explored almost every inch of this country, and knew every foot trail
or back road to almost every where in the US. He read every roadside
marker and went to every historical landmark. He never had a lot of
money, but he helped us live a rich and full life. He taught us what is
important in life. Those are my best memories.
(Okay, except maybe for the cramped quarters in the back seat.)
This blog and future one's are dedicated to his spirit and
the lessons he taught my sisters and I on our many road trips across
the country. I will find joy in every moment of each day's adventure,
laugh through the entire journey, smile for the camera and share every
second with loved ones...family and friends.
I will spend the rest of my life enjoying every minute of it.
I will finish Dad's road trips to the states he didn't get to...and maybe
a couple foreign countries as well. I will read every landmark and
roadside sign he missed.
Life is a journey, and I don't intend to miss another second of it!
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