Get It Right The First Time

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

Oprah Winfrey

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about how many things in life I take for granted. I fear the list of precious, promising, positive, pertinent overlooked good things in my life would be embarrassing.

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, 47-year-old Randy Pausch returned to Carnegie Mellon University, where he taught computer science, to deliver a final lecture to colleagues. The professor hoped 150 people might show up. Instead, the 400 seat lecture auditorium was filled.

Randy Pausch’s “last lecture” was delivered in September 2007. The lecture began with him standing before a screen beaming down chilling CT images of tumors in his liver, under the title. . . The Elephant in the Room. He then stunned the audience with this announcement: “I have about six months to live. I’m in really good shape, probably better shape than most of you.” He then dropped to the floor to do push-ups.

Randy opened his heart to the audience in a humorous, insightful, and emotion packed farewell that was more focused on living than on his imminent death. He told his colleagues and students, “I’m dying and I’m having fun, and I’m going to keep having fun every day I have left.”

Within weeks, his videotaped lecture was seen by millions on the Internet and later became the material for a bestselling book. Randy Pausch was a dying man who taught those who listened how to live. Hi died on July 25, 2008 but his legacy, wisdom, wonderful outlook on life and passion remain a living inspiration to us all.

Isn’t it amazing how those facing death have an unusually clear perspective on what is truly important in life?

What about us?

What’s going right in your life today? What are you thankful for? What are you celebrating? What have you done to make this day the best one you’ve had in a long time? What relationships are blessing your life? Do you enjoy your work? Your coworkers (have you told them?)

You might have to look around – search a bit to find all of your blessings. I’m convinced there will be some you’ve overlooked since we have countless things in our lives to be thankful for. Here’s a practical example from my life.

In January 2009 and few couples traveled to New York City for our first time. We had a delightful long weekend celebrating the 60th birthday of a friend while seeing the sights and enjoying the sounds of the city. We boarded a flight at LaGuardia late Sunday afternoon and returned to Omaha with only minor glitches and delays in our travel.

A few weeks later, 155 people on US Airways Flight 1549 thought they were going to die. During takeoff from LaGuardia, their plane struck geese, disabling both engines. In a powerless glide, the captain miraculously maneuvered over the densely populated areas and then announced: “Brace yourself for impact.”

Less than 90 seconds later the disabled jet made a water landing in the frigid Hudson River. Boats and ferries quickly arrived to rescue the passengers and crew. Everyone survived. People appropriately named it the “miracle on the Hudson” and praised the pilot and crew.

During an interview, one passenger simply said, “We have a second chance in life.”

I was much more thankful in retrospect for our uneventful takeoff, flight and landing just a few weeks earlier. I normally take those safe flights for granted. Not anymore. I too was given a ‘second chance’ in life . . . without the drama of a landing in the Hudson River.

Several years ago actor Bill Murray starred in a movie called Ground Hog Day. In this comedy he had to keep re-living a particular day all over again until things came out right.

I’ve never been given the chance to relive a day in my life. If I had to do a day over again, I ‘m certain I wouldn’t take for granted everything I had the day before – or least I think I have enough common sense not to mess it up two days in a row – or maybe not.

Get it right the first time. We don’t get a chance to do it over again.

“It ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive.”

Bruce Springstein