A Dying Professor Delivers the Lecture of a Lifetime

WSJ ^ | September 20, 2007; | JEFF ZASLOW

[PurpleMan]

Powerful.

Question: What would you do and how would you live if you knew you were going to die within a year?

[Andy from Beaverton]

I think Dennis Prager is talking about this.

[SkyPilot]

Hmmmm....interesting.

I didn't read anything about God or Christ in the article. Perhaps he felt that wasn't the proper venue - but if you are going to give your "last lecture" I suppose he would have mentioned that if God was important to him.

[Aria]

Be with my family. Smell the roses. Try to pass on any wisdom I may have accumulated.

[wastedyears]

Ping to self for later.

[Andy from Beaverton]

Here is the 104 minute speech: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5700431505846055184

[LIConFem]

I would spend as much time with my family as possible. I don’t think anything else would matter to me.

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[Spok]

“What would you do and how would you live if you knew you were going to die within a year?”

The secret is to live every day as though it’s your last, then you don’t have to change a thing.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Bump.

[nuconvert]

,

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I would spend as much time with my family as possible.

Same here. I don't think anything else would really matter very much, though if I were single I'd want to see as much of the world as I could. Another article mentions that Dr. Pausch took his 5 year old boy on a father-son trip, in hopes that this oldest child will retain some strong memories of him. My heart goes out to the man.

[Sgt_Schultze]

bump

[LIConFem]

"...though if I were single I'd want to see as much of the world as I could."

I am single. But while there are certainly places I'd love to see and things I'd love to do, I don't think I'd be able to tear myself away from my family.

"Another article mentions that Dr. Pausch took his 5 year old boy on a father-son trip, in hopes that this oldest child will retain some strong memories of him."

That must have been a bitter-sweet trip for him. How horrible it must be to look at your child and know that he or she will grow up without you. My heart goes out as well.

[bamahead]

bookmark

[Bruinator]

He stated like Moses he gets to see the promise land, but won’t get to step foot in it. Maybe I missed something but that was a bit confusing to me.

[submarinerswife]

My favorite line:

Luck is preparation meets opportunity.

I saw this on Good Morning America this morning. He leaves a hell of a love letter and life lesson for his children.

[wizr]

Too bad, isn’t it. He may be brilliant, but he doesn’t seem to know the first thing about life, or Christianity.

If he did, he would know that life does not stop when you take your last earthly breath. Why is it that so many people, over the centuries, have believed in eternity. Not just Christians, but almost everyone, including pagans.

As Christians, we KNOW that death is only a door to the hereafter. This life is just a test, with one ultimate question: Do you believe that Christ died for you, and your sins, so that you could be made whole? And all it takes to answer that question is faith, and the simple answer “Yes, Lord.”.

“No.” creates a whole new problem.

[SJSAMPLE]

The fate of the non-believer, maybe?

The non-believe gets a view of paradise, but isn’t allowed to enter. The ultimate “Hell”, IIRC, according to some religious text or another.

I’m not commenting on his religious views, just the quote.

[dangerdoc]

I certainly wouln’t be at work today. I wouldn’t put any money in my retirement. I wouln’t excercise. I wouln’t study for my recertifications. I wouln’t change the oil in my car..........

If you live every day like it was your last, your screwed later.

Like the wise old octagenarian once said. “If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of my teeth”