"The Last Lecture"

I saw this when it originally aired on "Oprah." It was a tape of Professor Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon University (pictured left with his wife and children) who has been diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer and has only months to live. Pausch is not taking the disease lying down, doing whatever possible to extend his time with his wife and their three children. Pausch challenged his students to write a "Last Lecture", a sort of talk you would give knowing what he knows about himself; that you only have months to live.

Pausch's taped lecture has been downloaded so many times on "YouTube" that Oprah Winfrey invited the professor to repeat his "Last Lecture" on her talk show. If you have not seen this, it is moving and thought provoking. I have posted the link below.

Although many of us may not have had the ideal parents (Pausch often speaks of the selflessness of his folks and their desire for their children to realize their dreams and goals) one can glean messages of hope. That it is never too late to realize a dream, to forgive where forgiveness is needed and finally, if you live right (doing right by others) great karma is the payoff.

I should mention that my favorite moment is when Pausch mentions that his parents let him color or crayon draw on the walls of his bedroom. "My parents much prefered encouragement of my imagination than pristine walls." I found myself chuckling at what would have been the reaction at my house if I suddenly crayoned my imaginationary visions on the Cortez family walls.

Please enjoy, smile, forgive and live well.

"Last Lecture"