The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture

I’ve read this one before. Probably ten years ago. This time was so much different. I have kids now…

This is more a list of life principles than it is a book. Some chapters are literally two pages. I loved this approach.

Randy Pausch is a computer science professor who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given months to live. He is married with three young children. This was his last lecture, an homage to his life and a goodbye to his family.

Very short easy read but tugs at the heart strings. He talks about how you shouldn’t sweat the small stuff and live life to the fullest to the very end. A ton of great life advice that applies to anyone. It’s a great reminder to take nothing for granted.

When he described how he felt about knowing his kids won’t have a father and how we wasn’t’ worried about what HE was going to miss but what THEY would miss, it broke my heart. Now that I have my own young girls, I couldn’t imagine the pain he felt leaving them way too early.

For any parent, cancer patient or anyone who needs a life jolt, read this one. I most definitely hugged my kids a little tighter.