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I was on my way to the lake on Friday, the 25th of July when I got a call that a wonderful human being had lost his battle with cancer. His name was Randy Pausch. He was an ordinary fellow with an extraordinary short life.
I sat in my car for a few minutes and digested this sad news. I did not know Randy but I got his message clearly. I felt great sorrow for his passing knowing he had given life everything he had. I paused to think of all the people I know that rush through life without a mission.Randy had one. His mission was to stay alive as long as he could so he could bridge the gap for his family between life and death. He instilled in everyone he touched to not give up on anything that is important. Randy didn't.
I followed his life with my daughter both on the internet and in the news. Against all odds , I wanted him to beat the cancer so he could live the life he wanted. In my heart , I knew better but I cheered him on.
I tried to put myself in his shoes, to try to understand where he got the strenght to go on. The answer was his wife and children. They needed him to be there for them by the second, minute, hour and by the day . I counted days with him, loved it when I could say,"yes;" Randy made
it another day. He made my day as well. I let go of all that extra baggage I was carrying and focused on the real life, my family. I saw them differently after I knew Randy. I valued the time with my family and I learned to not give up on myself. Thank you Randy!
I know that as time goes by and the sadness diminishes for his passing a great many of us will stay affected forever. If each of us could have reached for a piece of his joyful life we would have been better off for it.
My heart hurts for his family and my sympathies abound,
sincerely
A fan from Arkansas |
