Monday, February 27, 2012

Blog Assignment #6

The Last Lecture
If there ever was a lecture to watch, this one is it!  Dr. Randy Pausch, professor at Carnegie Mellon University, gave his famous speech known as the Last Lecture-Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.  This is not the first, nor the second time that I have watched this inspirational speech.  It really just pulls at my heart strings because of my own personal experiences with cancer in my family.  My mother was diagnosed in 2010 with an inoperable stage 4 glioblastoma, otherwise known as brain cancer.   Through this tough time in my life, I needed something to help me deal with the emotional struggles that come when a family member has been diagnosed with cancer.  A friend of mine gave me a copy of the book The Last Lecture and said, "read it". 

My mother's brain tumor 2/22/2010

The book and the lecture helped me to see that each day is a blessing.  I had two choices, I could either "A" choose to ball up in a corner and cry about our situation or I could "B" enjoy every second and live the life that God has given me.  Like Dr. Pausch said, "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand".  Obviously, choice "B" seemed like it would be more fun.  So, that's exactly what I did.  I let go of the questions, and the "what ifs' and enjoyed the time and adventures with my mother.  Two years later, she is still going strong.  I fully believe that it is because we chose to be positive in our lives instead of negative.  Your body reacts to feeling happy.  Even if you think you cannot make it through...well I say you can by putting a smile on your face and by staring adversity in the eyes. 

Non-active tumor as of July 2011

One thing that really stood out for me during the lecture was his view on brick walls.  He said, "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".  This directly applies to me with school.  I am 28 years old and I have been trying for the past 6 years to be able to come back to school and finish one of my dreams to become a teacher.  My family life had to be put first and my dream second for many years.  Then just as soon as I had everything set and settled -- BAM--cancer decided to step in.  For over a year and a half, I resigned from my job and took care of my mother.  This was a blessing in disguise.  I truly believe that everything happens for a reason.  I gained so many life experiences , many of which are positive, from my mother's diagnosis. Now, thankfully and graciously, she is better and I can take a pen and put a check mark beside school.  

Not only do the inspirational quotes apply to me and my family, they also apply to what I feel are important lessons as a teacher.  He stated in his lecture, "you've got to get the fundamentals down, otherwise all that fancy stuff isn't going to work".  Being an Elementary Education teacher, fundamentals are a major part of what I will be teaching my students.  Reading, for example, to me is the utmost important fundamental that needs to be taught and comprehended.  I personally have seen so many kids struggle with reading.  If they cannot master their reading skills at an early age then they will more than likely struggle with all of their other subjects.  Secondly, he discusses how cool it is for us to teach students something without them know that they are even learning.  That's the best type of learning! 

Dr. Randy Pausch holding his children


Dr. Randy Pausch was an inspirational man.  He knew the secret to life and that is family.  Family is the most important thing of all.  They are the ones who are there for us in times of rejoicing and times of sorrow.  In an interview with Diane Sawyer, I was so touched by his words when speaking of his children.  He said that he was more sadden by the fact that his children will not have him there for them when they needed him.  This man was a great professor, a great creator, a great leader, a great spouse, but mostly to me, he was a great father.  His Last Lecture wasn't for you or me, but for his children.  His last days were for them to have happy memories with their father and of their father.  To me, that is the best of all.  His legacy will live on through his work and positive outlook on life as shown in his lecture. 



1 comment:

  1. My mother was also an extremely strong advocate of positive thinking. She too had cancer but lived a very long life far longer that expected.

    I would add writing to your emphasis on reading. We ought to be producers and well and consumers.

    Well done. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete