THE LAST LECTURE

















Pic.: Vincent D'Souza


Probably, many of you must’ve heard about Randy Pausch and his very, very inspiring book – ‘The Last Lecture’. But, I hadn’t... till this morning, when I had been to the school founded by my dear student-and-friend, Pratap. Like me, Pratap, too, is a voracious reader and has built a rich library in his school. It was there, he placed in my hand a copy of ‘The Last Lecture’ and asked, “Sir, have you read this book?”


Before I could answer, I had already borrowed the book!


I am asking you, now, the same question: “Have you read this book?”


If not, please do!


So, for those who were like me – ignorant about a man called Randy Pausch - I am writing this Post...


Randy Pausch was a Professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University. He was married to Jai and had three little children – all between the age one and five. In September 2006, Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer... and, in August 2007, he was given the dreaded terminal-verdict:  ‘Three to six months of good health left’. He lost the battle on July 25, 2008!


What makes Randy Pausch a legend that he is now - and what makes people like you and me read about him - is how he chose to approach those last few months... In fact, that one decision of his to deliver – what has now become his legacy – the lecture called ‘The Last Lecture’... at Carnegie Mellon on September 18, 2007.  This lecture became a widely popular YouTube video, which spiraled into several media appearances and, finally, culminated into one of the New York Times best-selling inspirational-books!


Yes, I know, Pausch is not the only cancer victim or cancer survivor to inspire mankind. There were others... Young Terry Fox who ran his last ‘Marathon of Hope and died enroute...There was Lance Armstrong who won the grueling cycling championship, Tour de France even after battling against testicular cancer (leave alone the Drugs controversy)  ... There was our own little Gitanjali who had left behind - under her death bed -  her simple, soul-stirring poems... Yes, there are many, many more inspiring heroes... Still, when you read his book or listen to the video, you realize what a legacy he has left behind in his, in deed, ‘last lecture’...


‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams’! This was the title of Pausch’s last lecture. He had got it in a flash and he had kept his own three little children in mind and along with them others... you, me and millions!


I do not wish to write about it anymore... Please read as I did, almost one flat go!


Honestly, I badly needed someone like Randy Pausch to come and give me a hard shake, today!


Thank-you Pratap.



GERALD D’CUNHA
Video courtesy: YouTube

Comments

Tanish Kanal said…
Randy's book and lecture have healing power in them. Your post has done a great service. Thanks - Tanish
March 3, 2014 at 9:56 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi...
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How ...
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or pain...
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...