The Last Lecture

If you haven't read it, you need to. My dad lent his book to me a couple weeks ago. I started reading it yesterday afternoon and just finished it. I'm sure you've all heard of it, but if you haven't, it is the compilation of the life lessons and advice Randy Pausch learned throughout his life and summed up at the end when he was given just 3 to 6 months to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He would be leaving behind his wife and three young children, ages 6, 3, and 18 months. The book is truly inspirational and it helped me to put my life into perspective once again. There is a companion website to go with the book. Click here to go to that website. He has posted a link allowing viewers to watch the "Last Lecture" he gave at Carnegie Mellon before he died. I haven't watched the whole thing yet, but I have seen clips of it.

After reading the book and reflecting on things of a spiritual matter lately, I've again been reminded of the fragility of life. I know we all get wrapped up in the mundane things of life, the things we have to do, but because of that we often lose sight of what is really important. None of us know how long we will be on this Earth, and for that reason, we really need to be living life to its fullest. We need to figure out and grasp onto those things that are most importing in our own lives, not someone else's.

I am so grateful for the life I have been given. I have been so very blessed up to this point, far more than I deserve, but I am truly grateful for and humbled by all that I have. The things that are most important to me are not things, but the people in my life and the relationships I have with them. I truly try to be the kind of person people look up to and know that they can trust and rely upon. I'm trying to become the person I'm meant to become, even if I am a slow learner and feel like I often have to start back at ground zero. I want to reach my full potential. But I think that continuing to try is the key. I hope that I am always doing things in my life that make those who love me proud of the things I do. I hope that I never do anything I will look back on and regret. I am so grateful to have the amazing support system that I do. Especially my husband. I often wonder what I did to deserve to be so blessed to have him in my life.

I hope that I can always keep the perspective of what's important and what really matters. Life is shorter than we realize, and we need to make the most of every moment we have.