The Last Lecture

Don't know if you watched this special the other night, but it was very thought provoking. It was called "The Last Lecture" and was about Randy Pausch who is a Carnegie Mellon University professor who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He gave a "last speech" and has written a book with the question, "What wisdom would you impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?"
I am going to mention his umbrella topics and suggestions here:
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 am thinking of posting these somewhere near to my easel and thinking about them daily. Can you imagine what a better place this world would be if each of us believed in and practiced some of his suggestions?

As a retired educator, I especially focus on the last one. I remember many, many parents who had extreme dreams for their children, so extreme that I could see that their lives were driven by these expectations. Some wanted 'such good' to happen and many would "live their own lives - through their kids successes". As Pausch says, "My job is to help my kids foster a joy for life and develop the tools to fulfill their own wishes." Don't forget that - it creates a better pathway for your children! Anyway, it was a moving Diane Sawyer special.

I am working on a landscape in pastel. Gotta get out to the studio. The wind may blow me away on my way there...