The Last Lecture

 - By Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture– a truly inspiring book written for three kids by their father, who wants to impart his wisdom for he would not be there to see the growth of his kids nor would he be around in times of their need. Written by a man who lived life to the fullest every single day and aptly titled – “Achieving your childhood dreams” – and how he went about achieving them with simple anecdotes and timeless metaphors, his speech stands out as an inspiration to the hundreds of students present there, in the university auditorium and to the millions of readers world wide …

Randy Pausch, a Carniege Mellon university professor, diagnosed by Pancreatic Cancer and was given a short span of three to six months, goes about the last few days LIVING a life as he normally did. There is a sense of fulfilment in achieving childhood dreams. To dream and to hold on to that dream and to work for fulfilling that dream is not an easy task. Many a time, we tend to be influenced by circumstances, situations, people. Most of the decisions either due to emotional or relations bonds, are either shunned or modified. But, out there are few who live a life, every single day and go about achieving their desires with a passion that is rare and unflinching to the time. Not that there will not be difficulties, as Randy pointed out, “brick walls are there to show us how badly we want something”, but to work with those difficulties and to achieve – that is a true achievement.

The simple anecdotes of his life imparting wisdom and how he goes about fulfilling his child hood dream of being a Disney Imagineer and then, how he goes about fulfilling his students dreams, daring them to go beyond their strengths and urging them to hold onto their dreams and polishing them to become better at what they were already good at – It simply forms an amazing read.

A short book, which can be completed in three hours time – but will last with you for a life time. This book is not just a legacy left by a dying man, but also a book that inspires one to hold the right priority for the right things in life. Though Randy Pausch was a man of family values, which becomes clear from the book, he is also a man to whom work is of paramount importance. The diligence with which he goes about his job and the commitment with which he drives his children is truly brilliant. In the times where pay by the work hour has become common, to stretch oneself beyond that and to spread the passion with his fellow students is a rewarding experience, as many students of his go about achieving their dreams, giving him a reason to be proud of.

There were quite a few invaluable lessons learnt from this book, but most importantly is to dream and to hold on to those dreams. Despite not knowing the paths to those dreams, clinging onto them and step by step moving forward, will one day or the other land you in that dream. If not, nothing is lost, I have travelled with hope and on a path that meant something to me, that alone should be fulfilling and enriching. Mentors are hard to find and if one finds a mentor who can make us believe in the beauty of our dreams and helps us in fulfilling them, well, one has found the gift of their life, a gift that is worth living for.

To take a pick of his metaphors is a tough choice to make, but this will stand out:
“Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.” Though I have heard this in varied forms, may be, this last lecture by a professor whose days are numbered and having read the effective utilization of time, well, it stuck and it hit a chord…