“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is a very personal book for me. I even cried at the last part of the book because the world will lose a person of great character. I’ve heard a lot of rave reviews about Randy Pausch’s video and I was excited to finally read his book (FYI, the book was lent to me by a friend). This book ultimately tells about Pausch’s life from childhood to adulthood. Readers will get a glimpse on Pausch’s formative years, his disciplinarian yet loving parents, his adorable elder sister, and his dreams.
Randy Pausch’s life is something worth celebrating because despite his ordeal with his illneses (pancreatic cancer) he never did indulge himself in self pity. The topic of pancreatic cancer occurs in the book but it is not the focus of the book. This book is a beauty to behold because Pausch epitomizes a person who lived his life without any regret. He was able to achieve his childhood dreams albeit challenges and he never gave up. He found a way, a loophole to get through the ordeals.
“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
I know that his life is different from mine but he gives me hope that even at my age right now I can still accomplish things and reach for my dreams no matter how big or small it may be. It also made me think as to what kind of person I am and how I want to leave my imprint in this world. I am a nobody but in small ways I want to be someone who can be a catalyst for change. I’ll create my own last lecture even if it means none or few people will come to listen. I want to live my life with gusto.
Thank you Randy Pausch for giving me hope and for sharing your life.
Libro Pinas 