What us Dads Could Learn from Randy Pausch

On July 25th Randy Pausch - the man who lit up Youtube with his Last Lecture presentation - died. I did not hear about it until I opened my email on Monday and read a note from a friend.

If you have not watched the Last Lecture Dad - you should. It is 1 hr plus - and although that seems like a long time to sit in a room and listen/watch a video, you will be moved. I guess my only question for you after it will be "Moved to do what?"

Here is my take - as I think about getting the news that he received I cannot even fathom what he was feeling. I am certain there are people out there who can identify with what he felt - but not me, and I am guessing not most of you. But his video brought me back to the simple things I can do every day / week / year, to pass on the things I value to my children. If my 'Last Lecture' works out - in 20 or 30 years my kids and my wife will be around me and the things I have poured into them one drop at a time - will shine through in who they are and the relationship that we have. Sound simple? Maybe not - - but it is not that hard.

Here is an example of one of those 'thingss' I have found myself doing every year with my daughters for the last 5 years. A couple of friends of mine started a Daddy/Daughter camping trip 8 or so years ago. Simple concept - Dads take daughters camping for a Friday and Saturday night - the meals are simple, the accomodations rustic(tents), and the activities are whatever the outdoors provides us. I was invited and at the time I brought my 6 and 3 year old and we want camping and canoeing - and what started as a simple trip has become an event that they talk about for 12 months out of the year. Don't get me wrong - the format has not changed at all, and this year it was more rustic than ever. We camped in the woods, one mile from a road, on a world class trout stream, and a port o potty that some kind gentleman dropped off for a payment of $70. We ate meat and chips, did not bath, and did not have electrical anything.

I owe a lot to the two guys that started this event. Through it my daughters have begun to share my love for fishing, learned the art of kayaking, breathed the kind of air that reminds us why we don't vacation in cities, and hopefully felt my love for them because I would not miss this for anything. Small price - - big reward.

It is always sad to see a father leave a family behind. And although some might be transformed by Randy's story, which is great! Many will probably feel like me and just be kind of overwhelmed by it all - and in the end probably not do much. So Dad, here is my challenge - one simple thing to share what you care about with your kids. Could be a yearly trip to the county fair, a bowling game, a weekend with some college friends and their children - - it does not matter. You don't have to film it or make a scrapbook about it, just do it. I am kind of hoping that in the end - someone else can write our last lecture - we just have to give them the material.

It is good to be a Dad . . . . . . and prayers/kudos for you and your family tonight Randy.