A True Life Lesson

I am not usually a 2x a day poster, but today I can’t get my thoughts off of something I saw on a news magazine show last night, on ABC’s Primetime.  It was about a Carnegie Mellon Professor Dr. Randy Pausch.  While my wife and I usually pass up these shows in the desire for lighter non-reality TV watching, we stopped and watched this special report, entitled “The Last Lecture: A Love Story for Your Life”.

What is so unique about Dr. Pausch, is that he is dying.  Diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in 2006, he chose to live out his life, being positive, instead of shrinking away to die.  In September of 2007 he gave his last lecture at the university.  Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of his predicament, he focused on his childhood dreams. 

“You may not agree with the list but I was there. … Being in zero gravity, playing in the National Football League, authoring an article in the World Book Encyclopedia — I guess you can tell the nerds early. …. I wanted to be one of the guys who won the big stuffed animals in the amusement park.”

Diane Sawyer did an excellent job of talking with Randy Pausch.  She has visited him several times, and most recently helped him achieve one of the only things he had yet to complete on his childhood dream list.  Playing with an NFL football team.  She made calls and he got to spend the day practicing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  His story touched me.  Instead of thinking about his own predicament, he thinks of his family, his children.  He commented that the only time he allows himself to feel the situation is unfair is when he thinks of his 3 young children.  Not because he won’t be there for them, but because they won’t have him.  It’s a fine line, but a significant one.

His last lecture was posted to You Tube by Carnegie for staff and others that could not make it.  It is one of the most watched videos to date.  It has changed lived.  I watched it last night following the broadcast.  And it also changed me.  For a time the trivial problems of day to day life are not so bad.  That I can achieve my dreams. 

His book, The Last Lecture, was released on April 8, 2008.  I ordered my copy this morning.  One thing he reminded us was to never loose our child like dreams, and never take those from our children.  One of the most touching lines in the interview last night was when Sawyer asked Pausch what was the best thing that had happened to him that day. He replied,

“Well, first off, I’d say the day’s not over yet. So there’s always a chance that there will be a new best.”

To Follow Randy Pausch’s journey visit his page here.

To Order the Book, “The last lecture”, Click Here
To see his lecture, click here.

~Another Day

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