The Gamble Family (.Net)

This past Friday night, I watched ABC’s 20/20 special on Randy Pausch and his battle with Pancreatic Cancer. While watching the show, I could not help but be moved by Randy’s seemingly positive attitude during his darkest hour. Following the program, I downloaded and watched his now world famous “Last Lecture”, which he presented at Carnegie Mellon University in Sept. 2007.

While watching the lecture, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how much Dr. Pausch has accomplished during his “short” (47 year) time on this earth. Dr. Pausch has touched (translated positively impacted) literally thousands of lives. He is a brilliant Computer Scientist, a motivator, a mobilizer, and a positive role model of such magnitude that it actually makes me ashamed of how little I have done in my 51 years of life.

As I reflected on my accomplishments, other than my immediate family, I can’t name anyone that I know for certain that I have affected or inspired. This embarrasses me greatly. But, more worse than not having any professional achievements to note is that fact that I fear that my life, my actions, and my attitude have not spoken loudly regarding my relationship with God Almighty.

Have I wasted my entire life? Has it all been for naught? When I stand before Holy God, will He be ashamed of me because of my complacency towards the lost, my laziness towards helping feed the hungry, or my coldness towards those in need? I can’t honestly name one person that perhaps is better off for having known me. This very thought shatters my heart.

So, what now? How do I reverse 51 years of non-service? How do I right this embarrassing wrong? The obvious answer is, “One day at a time.” Each day of my life should be spent in humble worship to God, in respecting those around me, in looking for ways to encourage those that are carrying heavy burdens, in lending a help hand to those that need one, in taking an extra minute to listen more carefully to what those around me are really saying, and in looking for ways to make the most of every precious moment that I am blessed to have.

Today truly is the first day of the rest of my life.