Words that Change Lives

A while back my friend, Aubrey, introduced me to the book "The Last Lecture," by Randy Pausch. She is an avid reader and I casually asked what book she was reading now. As she described it I just KNEW I needed to read it. Randy was a Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer...given only a few months to live. He gave his last lecture on campus for his 3 small children. The book was EXACTLY what I needed...and loved. It has taken me a long time in my busy life to get around to checking it out AND completing it. But I have...and I can honestly say I loved it. His words can change a life. I appreciated his down to earth analytical way of expressing himself. Much of my philosophy in teaching is the same as his, so it was fun to read it at the end of my semester.

Throughout my life I have gone through many different experiences...some good, some I'm not so fond of. But I learned early on that it is my attitude that makes the difference. Sometimes my attitude falls a bit behind, but it eventually catches up and all is well. Things work out!

One of Randy's mottos is:

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

--Randy Pausch

Thank you, Aubrey for suggesting this book...even if just by sharing how much you loved it. I suppose those are the best suggestions -- not formal suggestions as much as sharing our love for something.