I was all set to post some inane observation about my children today. But while drinking my coffee this morning, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal that forced me to rethink my frivolity for the day.
Dr. Randy Pausch is a computer-science professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He is a 46 year old father of three who has terminal pancreatic cancer. He participated in a series of talks that is common on college campuses today. Ironically, the series is known as "Last Lecture," and the premise is "what would be your parting wisdom to the world given the opportunity?" Well, this is Dr. Pausch's last chance, and his speech is humorous, moving and ultimately inspiring.
Click here to watch the speech in it's entirety. You've been warned, have Kleenex at the ready. The running time is close to two hours. If you're not willing to dedicate that much time, email me and I'll send you the link to the Wall Street Journal which does a nice job of encapsulating the talk. The WSJ is quite stingy with their media, you can't read an article online unless you're a paid subscriber.
Here's a sample from the article written by Jeff Zaslow:
'He paid tribute to his techie background. "I've experienced a deathbed conversion," he said, smiling. "I just bought a Macintosh." Flashing his rejection letters on the screen, he talked about setbacks in his career, repeating: "Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things." He encouraged us to be patient with others. "Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you." After showing photos of his childhood bedroom, decorated with mathematical notations he'd drawn on the walls, he said: "If your kids want to paint their bedrooms, as a favor to me, let 'em do it.'
As my friends who are witness to my housekeeping skills would understand, I especially enjoyed that last piece of advice. Do yourself a favor, watch someone play the hand they've been dealt with grace and humor. Dr. Pausch, you are an incredible teacher. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with the world.
