A Word About Dr. Randy Pausch, and His Legacy Lecture of a Lifetime

Tuesday June 10, 2008

I first learned about Dr. Randy Pausch last September, and have blogged about him on my personal blog a number of times.

If you haven't heard of him, you are among the few. But I'm very pleased to bring you up to date, because this is a man you should most definitely know about. Your life will be enriched.

Dr. Randy Pausch is a man in his 40s, a professor at Carnegie Mellon, who was told last August that his pancreatic cancer was so advanced that he had, maybe, six months to live. In September, he presented his last lecture to students, faculty and others at Carnegie Tech. He told of a life well-learned, no regrets, and provided some philosophy and advice to the audience. Except, at the very end, he said the lecture was not intended for the audience in attendance. Instead he had prepared it for his three young children.

It's difficult to watch with a dry eye. You get that very welled-up feeling that grabs you in the back of the throat and threatens to spill over. You laugh, you choke up, you admire the heck out of him. And all the while, you think "there but for the grace of God...."

But what's important here is this man's approach to life, which all of us can learn from. He's FIGHTING the cancer that will claim his life. Eleven months after his six-month decree -- he addressed this years graduation class at Carnegie Mellon. He spoke of the passion we must find in our lives, grounded in the people we love and respect. And at the end, he picked his beautiful wife up off the stage and carried her away.

He's clearly staring death in the eye (the Reaper as he calls it) and just daring it to get in the way of his passion for life.

Do yourself a favor today. It's better for you than a good meal or meditation or the best medicine money can buy. Watching these videos, and sharing them with others you love and have passion for, will fill you with a happiness, and a longing, and a bittersweet sadness.

Then tonight, at dinner, toast to this man who is so generous of spirit, and wish him well as he faces the reaper.