Just One Life...

I watched Professor Randy Pausch's last lecture on YouTube this morning. It's entitled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." It's the length of a university lecture - about 90 minutes, but its worth watching to see evidence of the power of positive thinking/action upon one's life and the subsequent impact that can have on the world around you. Seven months ago Pausch was told he had 3-6 months left to live, yet not only has he outlasted that, he is enjoying his life more than most people I know and still teaching - teaching us how to live.

Pausch's homepage illustrates how one can meet their potential in the amount of time left to them. It's inspiring to me, life affirming. I tend to get somewhat philosophical when I have time on my hands... and given my current state of "underutilization" readers will hopefully forgive me for my wanderings.

Pausch tells us "everyday matters right now." While obviously true for him, it should also ring true for all of us. We are all dying; most of us just don't have a date in mind so we sometimes "forget" about how important the living part is.

Randy Pausch didn't set out to be a hero, but he has lead his life in such a way that it has touched mine on many different levels (watch his lecture and you will see what I mean) and in achieving his dreams he is leaving this world a better place. Can there be any better measure of a lifetime?

Link: Randy's Blog.