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Living Life in "Awe"

Today the first email I read from work was news that one of our professors passed away yesterday morning.

Dr. Chris Peterson, leader in the field of Positive Psychology for the past 25 years, in the top 100 most quoted psychologists in the WORLD, turned on his coffeepot, went to sit on the porch, and collapsed. A neighbor noticed and called for help, by the time it arrived he was gone. We are still waiting to hear what exactly happened.

Already our office is filling with students who took his first exam yesterday, Gradstudents who have been mentored by him, colleagues who have worked beside him...

Apparently Chris's first lecture for the academic year was a video of another professor who knew they were sick and giving their last lecture. I wonder what his would have been like if he had known.

What IS interesting, however, is his last Blog post. Sometimes it's like we subconsciously know before we consciously do. Here is the link:

Awesome e-pluribus-unum

What makes me thankful for my sameness and uniqueness... you too?

What I posted on my facebook earlier today seems relevant to mention now. I was having an AWE moment, I guess.  I was reflecting on the past few days and upcoming weeks and feeling VERY lucky. My life is very full of very unique and special people, and it's been a long time since I've been able to visit with them whenever I feel like it.

It's one less thing to worry about for now.... if I happen to drop on my walk to Starbucks for my cup of coffee, I'll have gotten an opportunity to spend some time where I've desperately wanted to be since I heard the word "cancer". 

The Psych Department already misses Chris tremendously already. He was one of the mainstays, with a unique voice and very warm regard towards any person he meets, he made the very large place a little bit smaller, and passed around positivity in the same way people give "free hugs." Here's a bit of him... =)

Chris talks about "What makes life worth living"

and his wiki:

Wiki

                                                                   Dr. Chris Peterson

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