{ Information and Image courtesy of lastlecture.com }
I'm sure that many of you have heard of this amazing man and his book. I was instantly intrigued as he was a professor at Carnegie Mellon, a university in my birthplace of Pittsburgh. However the synopsis on his website gives you a better idea of why this book is a must read:
On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.
This book is THE most inspirational book I have ever read. Pausch describes how to best live your life, with optimism, while dealing with and facing the pessimism. My favorite quote from his book is one that relates to the obstacles that we all face at one time or another: "The brick walls are there for a reason. They're not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something." His book is full of thoughtful ideas like this. It is about how he is leading his life while dealing with Cancer, but in all actuality, it is about living a fulfilled life no matter your circumstances. I hope that you have an opportunity to read this book or at least view his lecture on YouTube, I promise it will change your outlook on life in the most astounding way.
© The Simple Wife
