I read this article in the Sunday paper and it touched my heart. Thought I needed a visual reminder of what is really important.

The Lessons I'm Leaving Behind By Randy Pausch Published: April 6, 2008

At many colleges, professors are asked to give a “last lecture.” In this talk, they ruminate on what matters most to them. As they speak, audiences mull the same question: What wisdom would you impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance? Last year, I agreed to give a last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University, where I’m a professor in the computer science department. A few weeks later, I learned that I had only months to live—I was dying of pancreatic cancer. I knew I could cancel. I have three young children, I’m married to Jai, the woman of my dreams, and there were so many things to be done. But by speaking, I knew I could put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children, Dylan, Logan and Chloe. Here’s what I want to share.

Always Have Fun
Before I spoke, Carnegie Mellon’s president, Jared Cohon, said to me, “Please tell them about having fun, because that’s what I’ll remember you for.”I came to an early realization. Each of us must make a decision, best captured in A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh characters. Am I a fun-loving Tigger or a sad-sack Eeyore? It’s clear where I stand.For my last Halloween, Jai, our kids and I dressed up as the Incredibles. I put a photo of us on my website and explained that chemo had not affected my superpowers. I got smiling e-mails in response.I won’t let go of the Tigger in me. Someone asked what I want on my tombstone. I said: “Randy Pausch: He Lived 30 Years After a Terminal Diagnosis.” I could pack a lot of fun into 30 years. If that’s not to be, I’ll pack fun into the time I have.

Dream Big
I was 8 in the summer of 1969, when men first walked on the moon. I was at camp, and we campers were brought to the main house to watch the moment on TV. But the astronauts were taking a while, and it was late. The counselors sent us to our tents to sleep, and we missed the first walk.I was peeved. I thought: “My species has gotten off our planet and is in a new world for the first time, and you people think bedtime matters?”When I got home, my dad gave me a photo that he’d taken of our TV set the second Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. We still have that photo. Give yourself permission to dream. Fuel your kids’ dreams too. Once in a while, that might even mean letting them stay up past their bedtimes.

Ask for What You Want
On a trip to Disney World, my dad and I were at the monorail with my son Dylan, then 4. Dylan wanted to sit in the nose-cone with the driver, and my father thought it would be a kick too.“Too bad they don’t let regular people sit there,” Dad said. “Actually, I’ve learned there’s a trick to getting to sit up front,” I said. “Do you want to see it?” I walked over to the attendant and said: “Excuse me. Could we please sit in the front car?”“Certainly,” the attendant said. He led us to the nose-cone. It was one of the only times I ever saw my dad flabbergasted. “I said there was a trick,” I told him. “I didn’t say it was a hard trick.”Now I’ve gotten even better at “just asking.” As we all know, it can take days to get medical results. Waiting is not how I want to spend my time, so I ask: “What’s the fastest I can get these results?”“Oh,” they often respond, “we might be able to have them for you within an hour.”Ask. More often than you’d suspect, the answer you’ll get is, “Sure.”

Dare To Take a Risk
In a virtual-reality course I taught, I encouraged students to attempt hard things and not worry about failing. At the end of the semester, I presented a stuffed penguin—“The First Penguin Award”—to the team that took the biggest gamble while not meeting its goals. The award came from the idea that when penguins jump in water that might have predators, well, one of them’s got to be the first penguin. In essence, it was a prize for “glorious failure.”Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted. And it can be the most valuable thing you have to offer.
Look for the Best In EverybodyI got this advice from Jon Snoddy, my hero at Disney Imagineering. “If you wait long enough,” he said, “people will surprise and impress you.” When you’re frustrated with people, when you’re angry, it may be because you haven’t given them enough time. Jon warned that this took great patience, even years. “In the end,” he said, “people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out.”

Make Time for What Matters
When Jai and I went on our honeymoon, we wanted to be left alone. Since my boss demanded a way for people to reach me, I recorded this greeting: “Hi, this is Randy. I waited until I was 39 to get married, so my wife and I are going away for a month. I hope you don’t have a problem with that, but my boss does. Apparently, I have to be reachable.” I then gave the names of Jai’s parents and the city where they lived. “If you call directory assistance, you can get their phone number. And then, if you can convince my in-laws that your emergency merits interrupting their only daughter’s honeymoon, they have our number.” We didn’t get any calls.Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.

Let Kids Be Themselves
Because I’ve been so vocal about my childhood dreams, people have asked me about the dreams I have for my own kids. As a professor, I’ve seen how disruptive it can be for parents to have specific dreams for their children. My job is to help my kids foster a joy for life and develop the tools to fulfill their own wishes. My wishes for them are very exact and, given that I won’t be there, I want to be clear: Kids, don’t try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become. And I want you to feel as if I am there with you, whatever path you choose.

Adapted from the book The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch and Wall Street Journal reporter Jeffrey Zaslow. Copyright © 2008 Randy Pausch. To be published by Hyperion. All rights reserved.

AFTER THE LECTURE
After I gave my lecture in September, I expected to go home and quietly spend time with my family. I never imagined that my talk would be viewed online by millions worldwide. The response has overwhelmed and moved me. Thousands of people have written to me about their life lessons. I’ve also been buoyed by former students who’ve told me how my teaching made a difference to them. There’s no greater gift for a teacher. I’ve used my unexpected fame to advocate for pancreatic cancer research. Last month, I testified before Congress to seek funding for my disease, which is considered the deadliest of cancers. I’ve had great fun too. In my lecture, I told of two childhood dreams: playing in the NFL and being Captain Kirk on Star Trek. Strangers fulfilled those wishes. I was invited to scrimmage with the Pittsburgh Steelers and got to say a line in a new Star Trek film. Both experiences were thrilling.I’m lucky to be living longer than I expected, allowing me more time with my kids. I’ve tried to do unforgettable things with them—such as swimming with dolphins—so they’ll have concrete memories of us and of my love for them. I am honored that my lecture will live on and that people have found it beneficial. Honestly, though, the talk was for my kids, and it gives me comfort to know that they will one day watch it.

Conference

I am SO BLESSED! I just finished listening to conference and feel like I had so many little nudges from the speakers - they were saying exactly what I needed to hear. How do they do that? And what about everybody else listening - don't they feel bad? :) It was an answer to my prayers to hear the many testimonies about President Monson. I think a favorite moment for me (regarding President Monson) was when he talked about his wife, right before ending the conference. He seemed so real, so much like a regular man who loves his wife, instead of an unattainable, out-of-reach personality. I love the personal side to him. I love the sense of humor that I'm being allowed to see. Again, after watching conference, I'm inspired to try a little harder and to be a little better. Anyone who knows me would say that I have great room for improvement. It will probably be a step forward and a half step back but I hope over time, I'll make some progress.

Is anybody else out there excited for conference weekend? I am, and I think it's more than just being able to watch church on TV in my pajamas (although that is a major PLUS). During conference I'm planning on doing a little scrapbooking, a little crocheting, and listening to what my leaders are telling me (or at least trying to tell me). I always feel a little more committed(?), motivated(?), or even just aware of my life and blessings after general conference. Hopefully this conference will be the same and I hope I will be able to stay committed(?), motivated(?), and aware a little longer than Monday morning.

I am kind of excited (I know, I'm a geek) about officially sustaining the new prophet. I have been praying that I will have a personal testimony before the sustaining vote that President Monson has been called of God to this position. While I have not had any dramatic occurrences or heavenly visitors, I KNOW that he is our leader for this time in the Church. I still miss President Hinckley though. What a great man he was (and still is)!

My dear friend, Adrian,has inspired me to find my "word" -- something to represent a goal or challenge or even just something for me to be more mindful of. Rather than make resolutions that are easily breakable, my word just stays with me as long as I need it/want it to. I can work on it or toward it in whatever situation applies at the time. It doesn't matter what the word is, as long as it applies to me and means something to me. I have been struggling with finding the perfect word and at first, I thought that STRIVE may be the word. It wasn't a perfect fit for me though. Then I was trying on the word TRY for size. It felt better than STRIVE (and less pompous, at least for me), but it still wasn't an exact fit. Today I am leaning toward PREPARE. Whoa! I think that feels pretty good and really fits in with a bunch of meanings for me. I'll let you know how well it fits in the days to come. (Come to think of it though, TRY fits in with a bunch of meanings/directions for me too! This is really harder than it sounds!) I may need two words. Oh wait - This is America! I can have as many words as I want! :)

I'm taking a bunch of crap from the boys in my house over this whole blog thing. FYS hurt my feelings when he saw it and said it was just "My Space for old ladies". I hope you all take issue with that. I haven't spoken to him in days - j/k. FOS laughs every time I labor over adding something, telling me there has to be an easier way (and I'm sure he is correct).



On a totally different subject ...

I had both my boys call me on April Fools Day and remind me of a special trick I played on them many years ago. It all began with MOMD, FOS, and FYS driving to the baby sitter before work/school one morning. The boys were probably about 5 and 7. All of a sudden I remembered it was April 1st! I said, "Oh my heck - we are running late. Maybe you guys (meaning the boys) could ride the bus to the sitters house." I went on to say how it wouldn't be a big deal, we would give them money for the bus, they would know where to get off, etc. when MOMD pointed out that both boys were in the backseat CRYING!!! I'm telling you, I felt so bad that I made them cry, but they sure didn't believe me because I was LAUGHING UNCONTROLLABLY!!!! Gosh, it's been almost 20 years -- you'd think those psychological scars would heal by now.

Junky Blog?

Okay - so now I'm trying to add everything possible to my blog ... my BofM reading progress, music, etc. I don't have anything to say, but the space sure is getting full!