A few weeks ago a friend sent me an email that was titled “Got To Watch This…NOW!”.  Although I hate getting bulk emails that are filled with funny little tid bits and stuff like that - I decided to “click here” and proceeded to weep for the next hour.  The clip was a short segment from the Oprah show featuring Randy Pausch.  Randy Pausch is a devoted husband and a loving father of  three young children and delivered his heart wrenching, darkly funny “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams“ (now known as The Last Lecture) to his students at Carnegie Mellon last September.  His speech now has been view by millions and have touched the core of my beliefs.  In his speech, Randy talks about really achieving your childhood dreams and how important it is to never give up - lessons he wanted to pass on to his children even if he was not around to teach it to them himself.  What makes this story even more remarkable, is that Randy is living with terminal cancer (note I said he is living with and not dying of) and is aware that his days are numbered but chooses to live life to the fullest and takes advantage of each new day.  Randy’s words have been so inspiring, he has been named one of Time Magazine 2008 100 world’s most influential people . 

I want to take Randy’s words of wisdom and live my life to the fullest therefore leaving behind a legacy that will not only touch others but leave a lasting impression on my own two children.  I want them to understand  that life is worth seizing, dreams are worth conquering and that obstacles only exist if you let them.  Having fought cancer myself, I understand the passion behind his speech and only hope that everyone who listens really take it to heart and learn from it.  Life is far too delicate to put things off for later or to confined your dreams.  Thank you Randy, for sharing with the world pieces of you and inspiring a whole nation to live their dreams.  

 

To to read more about his newly published book “The Last Lecture” click here.  If you are one of the few who have not watched Randy’s “Last Lecture” please watch his speech in it’s entirety below or click here for the abbreviated version - it is worth the time to watch the full version.

 

I would love for my readers to share their dreams and think about the legacy they can only hope to leave behind.  Please let me know if and or how his message has inspired you.

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

         

—

        Randy Pausch   

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