Morning Briefings

One day in a moment of great crisis, I came to understand the words of my [dying] father, ‘If I die, it will be glory; if I live, it will be grace.’ That faith was his evening star–the faith in a power greater than man.

– William O. Douglas
This I Believe

A Final Farewell: How Randy Pausch, a 47-Year-Old College Professor Came to Teach His Family About Love, Courage and Saying Goodbye. Dying of pancreatic cancer, he showed a love of life and an approach to death that people have found inspiring. His lecture has become a reminder that our own futures are similarly — if not drastically — brief. His fate is ours, sped up.

– Jeffrey Zaslow
The Wall Street Journal

A Final Farewell: How Randy Pausch, a 47-Year-Old College Professor Came to Teach His Family About Love, Courage and Saying Goodbye. Dying of pancreatic cancer, he showed a love of life and an approach to death that people have found inspiring. His lecture has become a reminder that our own futures are similarly–if not as drastically–brief. His fate is ours, sped up.

– Jeffrey Zaslow
The Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2008

Of all we have to do in this life, here is the hardest task, to die well.

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Sacred Space

…and he said, someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying; like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about what you did with it.

– Tim McGraw
Live Like You Were Dying

‘I do a lot of funerals,’ Joe said. ‘And there’s nothing sadder than doing a funeral when you have to manufacture something to say about the impact the person had in order to bring any kind of comfort to the family and friends.’

– Jeffrey Marx
Season of Life

We cannot borrow character in a crisis. We cannot fix up a friendship with God, and expect it to mean very much on our deathbed. Since, therefore, faith and character and inner spiritual resources will someday be indispensable, we should seek them now.

– Thomas N. Carruthers from
Strength for Service to God and Country

I discovered that people are not really afraid of dying; they’re afraid of not having lived, not ever having deeply considered their life’s higher purpose, and not ever having stepped into that purpose and at least tried to make a difference in the world.

– Joseph Jaworski
Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership

One day in a moment of great crisis, I came to understand the words of my [dying] father, ‘If I die, it will be glory; if I live, it will be grace.’ That faith was his evening star–the faith in a power greater than man.

– William O. Douglas
This I Believe