Randy Pausch The Last Lecture

SER: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch: Essay Revisions

“Brick walls are there for a reason. And once you get over them- even if someone has practically had to throw you over- it can be helpful to others to tell them how you did it.” -Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture, (page 174). Mr. Pausch wrote The Last Lecture not long after he discovered he had ten tumors in his liver, with only three months left to live. Pausch says, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” (page 17). Throughout his book, Randy uses tone to show his children how hard he fought to stay alive longer so he could be there for them as they grew older.
Randy decided it would be better for him, and his children if he looked at the remainder of
his days with a positive point of view. On the first page of his book, he says, “While I could easily feel sorry for myself, that wouldn’t do them, or me, any good.” Pausch felt that if he sat around feeling sorry for himself, it wouldn’t be possible for him to fully live out his last days. “Whatever news we get about the scans, I’m not going to die when we hear it. I won’t die the next day, or the day after that, or the day after that. So today, right now, well this is a wonderful day. And I want you to know how much I’m enjoying it.” says Pausch (pages 62/63). He wanted Jai to enjoy the good days she was currently having with him, and not think about the bad days to come.
Throughout his treatment, Randy had never been alone, he always had someone that was there for him. Pausch says, “My friends. My loved ones. My minister. Total strangers. Every single day I receive input from people who wish me well and boost my spirits. I’ve truly gotten to see examples of the best in humanity, and I’m so grateful for that. I’ve never felt alone on this ride I’m taking.” (page 188). During his last months, Randy was mostly at home with his wife and children, he spent as much time as he could with his kids, while preparing his lecture. Jai, his wife, was always there for him, whether he was laughing, or even when he was in tears. On page 60, Pausch says “Jai walked over to the computer, saw everything clearly with her own eyes, and fell into my arms. We cried together.”
Randy Pausch was big on achieving your dreams, he was always trying to make his childhood dreams come true.
One of his many childhood dreams was to play in the NFL. Although he did not achieve that dream, he believes he learned a lot from it. On page 35, Pausch says, “It helped make me who I am today. And even though I did not reach the National Football League, I sometimes think I got more from pursuing that dream, and not accomplishing it, then I did from many of the ones I did accomplish.” I believe this is one of the most important lessons his children will learn from this book. One can learn so much more from doing something and completely failing, than one would if they just easily flew through something. Football taught Randy a very important lesson, if a person truly cares about someone they will push them, no matter what. “When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that's a bad place to be.”
Randy fought so hard to stay alive so that he could be there for his children. He uses his emotions to make an example for his children so that they will know who he was while he was alive. The Last Lecture is a great example of a man who will do whatever it takes to make sure his children will have a good memory of him after he
passes.