Randy Pausch - Make the most of "now" while we have it

I got to know Randy when he came to EA for a semester on his sabbatical. I tried as hard as I could to recruit him come and take over EA's Education Program. I was also the guy who had to tell him that while he was there, that EA had made a donation to USC for $8MM. I ended up going to Carnegie-Mellon to meet with their President and Randy so that Randy didn't lose face there. Wow, am I glad that Randy didn't take the EA job. Last night I watched the Diane Sawyer special and have been following all of the articles, etc about his Last Lecture. The number of people he has touched really makes me think that Randy was put on the earth for this moment. Lives are being changed by him making one 90 minute lecture. Randy doesn't talk about whether or not God has His hand in this for him but it is easy to see that the good that comes from what Randy is going through is being used. A few weeks ago we received an email from one of our neighbors in Rhode Island who told us that her husband had been diagnosed with brain cancer. We went on the internet to try and determine how bad it was. It's bad. Last week we got an email directly from him and it was full of funny things that happened at the hospital, a positive attitude and a resolve that he, like Randy, was going to play the best hand that he was dealt and play it well. I am encouraged and amazed by the strength that we see in these people. They have made my life better by knowing them when they were healthy and maybe even more so in their difficult times. What a lesson for all of us in the times when we think we are down and out on our luck. And, when the times are good, it becomes even more important that we make the most of "now" while we have it.