Strengthen Your Nets

I really like watching Diane Sawyer on ABC News' Good Morning America. One spring morning, I was enjoying the program, when I saw her speaking to a young, handsome, and articulate college science professor: Randy Pausch (co-founder of software named 'Alice'), from 'Carnegie Mellon University' in Pittsburgh (Andy's sister's alma-mater).

I raised the volume as the interview proceeded, I listened carefully. His inspirational speech was: The Last Lecture-'Really achieving your childhood dreams'. He spoke with such candor and enthusiasm, I was spell-bound. In the overhead projector, he showed pictures of special moments with his family. I especially remember his quotes, one stays with me: 'Strengthen your nets', as he spoke of an abundant family life. He also spoke of life being too short to be an 'Eyore' ("Winnie- the-pooh" depressed character), also mentioning having a stuffed animal around to hug on occasions, (things we've forgotten, yet still need:'Hugs').

He shared his personal journey through pancreatic cancer by doing push-ups on the stage saying, if anyone felt sorry for him to come up and do a few of those. Known as a brilliant & fun teacher, his students loved the challenges of doing research at his computer-science class. He entertained professors and students alike with thought- provoking lectures on time management; touted a genius in leading, convincing, and showing, by example, through his work and efforts. Randy lavished affection and care on his students, as well on his nieces and nephews, and last, but not least, his wife and three children.

Randy spent 'special vacation times' with each child & video-taped their wonderful times together; of his baby girl-he said, "I want her to know I was the first man to fall in love with her", be still my heart. Randy: "I am attempting to put myself in a bottle that will one day wash up on the beach for my children", this lecture was meant as a road map for his children.

ABC declared Randy Pausch one of it's three 'Persons of the year for 2007', also his #1 'Best seller-Book' is titled & based on 'The Last Lecture'. In his last lecture Pausch said, "Like Moses, I get to see the Promised Land, but I don't get to set foot on it. That's okay. I will live on in Alice". Randy: "The best way to teach somebody something," Pausch explained, "is to have them think they are learning something else. With Alice, students concentrate on making movies and games, but they are also learning to program."

Carnegie Mellon makes downloads of the "Alice" software for free at www.alice.org. I hope Diane Sawyer gets an award for this poignant and well-written true life story.

Enjoy: Strengthening your family nets...

From: Our 'Encouraged' Front Porch...Ana & Andy.

Credit: Christ...Luke 5:4-"Put out into deep waters, and let down your nets".