WWYD?
What would YOU do?

What would YOU do if your doctor told you that you only had six months to live?

After the tears, the anger, the questions, etc…what would YOU do?

I’d like to think that I’d pack as much living, learning, and loving into those six months as possible. I’d like to think that I’d get past the anger and the questions and dive head first into the rest of my life. Truly LIVE OUT LOUD…and PURPOSEFULLY for the rest of my life. I’d like to *THINK* that I’d do these things. Truth is, I don’t really know what I’d do or how I’d do it. Do any of us?

I’m sure by now you’ve heard the story of Randy Pausch, the former Carnegie Mellon University professor who was actually given six months to live. He made the news after giving his last lecture at the university before a packed auditorium. If you’ve not seen the video, you can watch it here (insert link). It’s an hour & 15 minutes long. But well worth every single minute.

I can’t begin to tell Pausch’s story. He and his wife do that so eloquently. I can tell you that, having heard them speak via interviews, having seen them on TV, having read pieces of the book, I am inspired to live that much more deeply each and every day.

I love the lessons Pausch leaves for his children. I confess – they work for us ‘grown’ children too. You be the judge:

1. Always have fun.
2. Dream Big
3. Ask for what you want
4. Dare to take a risk
5. Look for the best in everybody
6. Make time for what matters
7. Let kids be themselves.

I love that list. Simple. Meaningful. Purposeful. Focused. An awesome legacy to leave for his kids. Couple that with the fact that they actually get to see him model it firsthand for whatever time he has left. truthfully, it’s an awesome legacy for all of us. When the noise of the world gets so loud we can’t hear our own thoughts, when our lives are brimming over with busy-ness…that list can serve as a reminder to simply be still…breathe…remember…to call forth just one item on that list and give it our undivided attention until our hearts, mind, body and soul are at peace again.

I find Randy Pausch’ story to be very moving, very inspiring. And yet, part of me is sad. Beyond the fact that, here is a relatively young man (he’s 47), a husband, father and college professor whose life is ending much sooner than anyone could have dreamed. I’m sad because while his life and his message is truly a wake-up call for each of us to go deeper, to truly live the life we’ve been given…we should never let ourselves fall that deeply “asleep” in the first place.

We can no longer afford to move through our days “consciously unconscious”, hiding from the reality of our own lives by watching scripted reality shows, dreaming in our heads but afraid to breathe life into the dream so that it stands before us. We can’t.

I have a friend who says this to me always – ALWAYS: “Live each day as if it was your last.”

Do you know what I find so appealing about the fact that he says that and means it? That he actually walks it. It’s more than words to him. I’ve confessed many times to being a “wordy chick” and yet, no matter how many conversations we have, no matter how many words I pile up, he cuts through so much of what I said straight to the marrow of life: “LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST.”

What would I do if I only had six months to live?

That is a POWERFULquestion. And it’s POWER FULL.

I love questions, powerful questions – I love them so much, I don’t really care if I answer them or not (though the answer generally does come later). For me, I’ve learned that the true power in the question comes from being strong enough to ask it, being wise enough to know that it needs to be asked. That is the breakthrough for me.

Powerful/PowerfFULL question: What would I do if I only had six months to live?

An even more powerful/powerFULL question: WHY AREN’T I DOING IT NOW?

Be well. Embrace life.

Live from your soul!
Jayy

(BTW, I know I’m “late’ with this story but there was that whole fiasco with not being able to post to my blog so…I’m playing a little catch-up. Happy Monday!)