The Last Lecture

Before the holiday weekend a colleague passed on a book to me called, The Last Lecture.  For those of you that haven't read this yet I do recommend it as it gives you a life check that I think sometimes we all need.  I won't get into details of the book as you can go to the link above to learn more, however, I would like to share what I got out of it so you might be more convinced to read it yourself.

It was a quick read, which was good for me and my self-diagnosed A.D.D.  So, right off the bat they had me hooked as I knew I would get through it in less than a month.  While the story can be interpreted as a sad one, after reading it I think my lighthearted take on it is appropriate.  My interpretation of the message may be different than some, but I like to summarize things into simple values or points.  If I were to sum up what Randy Pausch has done it is show spirit.

Too often in this world we allow ourselves to be influenced negatively by others.  I feel that what Randy shares in his book is that each individual makes choices everyday in everything they do.  The question is what type of spirit do you bring with you?  His message is simple, make sure it is positive.  He shares a number of specific life lessons in his book, but I think it's all summed up by just having a good attitude.  The lecture, the book, the legacy he has left behind is all for his kids, and some might say it was self serving.  But when you read it you will see that Randy has been a selfless person with a great spirit about life.

- Mark

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