Tuesday, April 15, 2008

A Lesson For Life

The Last Lecture. It sounds a bit final doesn't it? Even a little ominous? The label would not have intrigued me, but hearing the speaker and recognizing his enthusiasm and optimism did.

Randy Pausch, for those of you that have not heard of him or of his Last lecture, is a Carnegie Mellon University professor of computer science that is dying of pancreatic cancer. He is facing his mortality with an amazing spirit and finding in the evaluation of his life that he has not only achieved but surpassed his childhood dreams.

His last lecture is a gift to the rest of us, an instruction manual so to speak, that we may also find what makes us happy. His advice is basic. Work hard, Tell the truth, Be earnest, Focus on others, Don't complain, Find the best in everybody, and most importantly: Lead your life the right way--karma will take care of itself.

His life exemplifies these basic truths. His words strike a chord with me. They make me count my blessings. They remind me to cherish those that I love. They give me permission to follow my dream.

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