I never met Tim Russert. But I have been drawn in by the many, many comments about his life these last few days. Watching the Kennedy Center memorial service on TV, I found myself both touched and also almost energized. So many commented how Tim Russert lived life to the fullest.
As Tom Brokaw aptly described, Tim “woke up each morning as if he had won the lottery the night before.” Tim’s son commented how his Dad always saw ”a glass half full” rather than half empty.
Tim was faith-filled, full of energy, generous, caring, and believed in the goodness of humanity. As Mario Cuomo noted, Tim “regarded a day spent without real enthusiasm as a sadly lost opportunity.” A writer commented, “If there were an award for getting the most out of life, he would have won that, too.” His zest for life and his exuberance were obvious to viewers.
What energized me about these commentaries was the spark that Tim seems to have captured and reflected in his life.
How do we also capture that spark that is at the core of our faith? How do we live every day of our lives as if we “had won the lottery the night before?”
I don’t know the answer to this. In theory I do. Live life as if the Good News is truly Good News. But in practice, what does this mean? How do I adjust my daily habits, my actions, my attitude to reflect this? How do I apply this so it makes a real difference in my life?
I haven’t figured this out, yet. But Tim Russert’s life and the moving tributes by his many friends and colleagues, invite us to step back a moment and ponder these life-altering questions. Who knows what this world of ours will be like if we all truly reflect that same spark in our lives.
