paradise ali

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

–Randy Pausch

Once upon a time, my friend and I used to go to church on Sunday mornings.  It wasn’t always easy being as both of us were single parents with little kidlets in tow.  We’d go and sit on the stackable chairs set up in the gym  and listen to the sermon intently.  Periodically, we’d smile knowingly at each other.  It always felt like the message of the day was specifically meant for us.  Somehow, no matter what was going on, the Universe knew exactly what we needed to hear in order to understand, accept, or make the best of it. 

Fast forward many, many years.  The other day, Beta and I were clashing and we weren’t really on speaking terms.  I felt like she was being a spoiled, selfish, Princess Beotch and she felt like I was the Queen Witch Supreme.  She was running the hot water while she was washing the dishes and I wanted her to conserve hot water by washing the dishes, then turning on the water and rinsing.  We were feuding over dishwashing techniques!  Well, I came across a lecture by Professor Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon University.  It was long but I found myself drawn in to the presentation of this man, this son, this husband, this father.  The lecture was about achieving your childhood dreams but it was presented in such a fun, upbeat and entertaining way.  Professor Pausch is dying of pancreatic cancer. At the time of the lecture, it was one month since his doctors told him that he had three to six months of good health left. His circumstances and what he had to say were so moving, I cried.  Talk about putting things in perspective!  He shared wisdom and advice that I could take to heart and appreciate and pass on to my own family. 

I have time to have fun with my kids, time to encourage them, time to try to teach them the hard lessons that I learned the hard way.  Life is to short for the negativity and strife.  The Universe still finds a way to tell me exactly what I need to hear, when I need to hear it. 

The video below is Professor Randy Pausch’s reprisal of “The Last Lecture” on the Oprah Show.  It is much shorter but it gives you a taste of the full lecture which you can learn more about at the Carnegie Mellon University site.