The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

Heads up, this one's a tearjerker. A little background about the author. Randy Pausch is a professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University, and he also previously taught at the University of Virginia. He has extensive knowledge in computer programming and is a firm believer in living your childhood dreams. He lives with his wife and 3 kids in Virginia. In 2006 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer - which is terminal - and given only months to live.

He was asked to give a "last lecture" - where professors are asked to consider their demise and to spread their story now while they still can. Pausch's last lecture is infamous at this point; I heard his story on Oprah earlier this year, and when my boyfriend - a computer nerd himself - purchased this book, I knew I would read it immediately. His story is heartbreaking - but he is the face of positivity.

These are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

p. 33 - "Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome."

p. 79 - "Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

p. 145 - "Look for the best in everybody."
"Watch what they do, not what they say... 'When it comes to men who are romantically interested in you, it's really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do."

p. 149 - "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer."

p. 159 - "All you have is what you bring with you."

p. 176 - "Communitarians... 'When we're connected to others, we become better people."

I really loved this book. It was hard to make it through without crying, but it really goes to show that you might be perfectly healthy - and still only have months left. When his 3 young children are old enough to watch the videos he is filming for them, and to read and understand the letters he is writing to them, they will certainly feel the love from their father.

What would you say in your 'last lecture'?

P.S. It should be noted that Jeffrey Zaslow co-authored this book. Please visit The Last Lecture website here and Randy Pausch's personal website/blog here.