Randy was a noble man.  You may have seen The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch on YouTube.  Or perhaps you saw him on Oprah.  He never intended his lecture to become a book and a gift to the world, but that is what The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch became: a gift to the world.

[Tweet “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”  Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture]

If I knew I was terminal…but wait, really, we all are, aren’t we?  It’s just the spans that vary.  If life is one beginning, then death is one kind of ending. So whether shorter or longer, I aspire to live out my days as Randy did.

“If you don’t achieve your dreams you can still get a lot by trying for it.” Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture.

Randy intended his lecture to be his legacy, primarily to his three children, and secondarily to his students.  His raw, passionate, authentic sharing from the heart…from his soul, has touched the heart of the world.  Randy, was just 48 years old when he died in 2008. Born a year after me, he would be in his mid 50’s today.

“Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted.”  ~Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

I believe Randy would have revered what we have.  Randy would have advised us to stop thinking about the past, our ailments, our obstacles or brick walls as he called it, and to carpe diem…to live full out, to cherish each moment and each other, and to consider the beauty in each moment and to make the most of us.

Randy’s Last Lecture was testament to a life well lived… a life lived well. Randy was victorious in life and noble till the end. Randy Pausch was a great soul.

Now it’s our turn. Today is our day.