“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.”  Dr. Randy Pausch

How are you doing with your Dream Book?

Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.  (Neh. 13:22b; NLT)

Last week’s three DG’s were all on the topic of dreams.  It is a bit ironic that on Friday, July 25, Dr. Randy Pausch, who will long be remembered for his “Last Lecture” at Carnegie Mellon, passed away due to complications from pancreatic cancer at his home here in Chesapeake, VA.  If you will recall, I first wrote about Dr. Pausch on 3/3/08 and again on 4/16/08.

What does that have to do with dreams?  The connection should become clear in the following excerpts taken from a July 25 Carnegie Mellon press release written by Byron Spice and Anne Watzman:

Pausch earned his greatest worldwide fame for his inspirational “Last Lecture.” That life-affirming lecture, a call to his students and colleagues to go on without him and do great things, was delivered at Carnegie Mellon on Sept. 18, 2007, a few weeks after Pausch learned he had just months to live. Titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” the humorous and heartfelt talk was videotaped, and unexpectedly spread around the world via the Internet. Tens of millions of people have since viewed video footage of it.

Pausch, who had regularly won awards in the field of computer science, spent the final months of his life being lauded in arenas far beyond his specialty. ABC News declared him one of its three “Persons of the Year” for 2007. TIME magazine named him to its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. On thousands of Web sites, people wrote essays about what they had learned from him. His book based on the lecture became a #1 bestseller internationally, translated into 30 languages.

Pausch, the father of three young children, saw it as his mission to help enable the dreams of his students. In his last lecture, he spoke of how grateful he was to those who had helped him along the way: professors, colleagues, a football coach, and especially, his own parents. He explained how he had dreamed of writing a World Book Encyclopedia entry, experiencing zero gravity and creating Disney attractions — all dreams that were fulfilled. He said he learned even more from dreams that didn’t come true, such as being a pro football player. He also shared a host of lessons — about finding the good in other people, about seeing “brick walls” not as obstacles but as challenges, and about living generously.

“If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself,” Pausch said. “The dreams will come to you.”

At the end of the talk, he revealed that he had given it mostly to serve as a roadmap for his three young children. The book based on the talk has a similar purpose. As he explained it: “I’m attempting to put myself in a bottle that will one day wash up on the beach for my children.”

The book, titled “The Last Lecture,” was a #1 New York Times bestseller, and also topped bestseller lists in USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, and other publications around the world. It was co-written by Jeffrey Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal (a 1980 Carnegie Mellon alumnus). The lecture and book led to intense media interest in Pausch. He appeared twice on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Pausch and his wife Jai were also the subjects of an hour-long ABC News Primetime special in April hosted by Diane Sawyer and viewed by 8.2 million people.

Today’s link is the update of the Parade Magazine article I used back in April.  It was largely excerpts from Pausch’s book which was released on April 8.

Prayer Power
Lord, please comfort Dr. Pausch’s wife, Jai, and their three children, Dylan, Logan, and Chloe, as well as other family members he has left behind.  He was indeed a very special man.

Link of the Day
The Lessons I’m Leaving Behind

Blessings on you as you continue to pursue your own dreams this coming week.