If you read nothing else of this post, skip to the end and learn more about Randy Pausch and watch his “Last Lecture”…trust me, you’ll not regret it.
As some of you know, I’ve been doing a great deal more work for Hospice Austin as a chaplain this summer, and it’s given me much to think about. People almost always say, “That must be so hard”. At times it is, but over all it’s actually a tremendous priviledge and I am humbled by the work.
At Hospice, we say we don’t help people die, we help them live as fully as possible as long as possible so they can enjoy every moment they can doing what they love. So every day, I get to experience Life, not death; real, honest, nitty-gritty, gut-wrenching, poignant LIFE in all its messyness and mystery, chaos and beauty.
I get to see people discover and focus on what really matters to them. I get to see people putting aside the petty to focus on what’s truly significant. I get to see them work to resolve internal and interpersonal issues and struggles. I get to see them forgive and accept forgiveness. I get to see them reconcile their faith, find meaning in their life, and pass on the best of themselves to their loved ones.
Of course, it’s not always that pretty. I also do funerals where at least one family member shows up drunk to cope with their grief, and see some of people’s worst selves come out in greed and bitterness, and any pre-existing dysfunction or mental illness can simply get worse with the stress. Luckily, in death as in life, this is the exception and not the rule, but just like in life if you focus on the negative you can become jaded thinking that’s all there is.
I get to see Life. In the process, I get to learn more lessons than I could ever teach or preach. Rather than try to pass them on here, I encourage you to check out an ordinary man doing extraordinary things as he lives, and prepares to die.
His name is Randy Pausch. He’s a former computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon who learned he was dying of very aggressive pancreatic cancer. The 47-year old father of 3 has chosen to spend his remaining days teaching the rest of us what it means to really live. He states his motivation is to leave a legacy for his children, imparting his wisdom now so that as they grow they can still learn what he wants to teach them. In the process, he’s teaching all of us invaluable lessons.
He was invited to be part of a lecture series where top academics were asked to consider what matters most to them and based on that give a hypothetical “final” lecture, i.e., “what wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?” Randy’s “Last Lecture” has inspired millions and this Spring was published as a book of the same title.
CLICK HERE to go to Randy’s website where you can see his “Last Lecture” (76 minutes long), an ABC special Diane Sawyer did about him (which is where I learned about him), and more about his inspirational and on-going story.
Then share YOUR wisdom…come back here and post your thoughts. We’ll all be enriched as we consider together what it means to truly live.
