There are many people in this world who truly inspire, through both their words and actions. I’ve posted about some of them: Nick Vujicic, Patrick Henry Hughes and his dad, Team Hoyt. In spite of being handed a grim deck of cards, or living lives full of adversity, these people somehow have been able to rise above their various, extremely challenging circumstances, and have found the positive in their lives.

I want to add to my list of heroes Carnegie Mellon Professor Dr. Randy Pausch, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on July 25, 2008. He gave a last lecture at the university on September 18, 2007, and later shared some of that speech with the Oprah Winfrey audience. At 47, with a wife and 3 young children you would think he would be bitter, but rather than wallow in self-pity, after being told he had only 3 to 6 months to live, he decided to embrace his inevitable death with grace, dignity and good humour.

“I’m dying and having fun.”

Although the lecture’s main emphasis is about achieving your childhood dreams, it’s more about living life to the fullest. He talks of how, as children, we have a certain sense of fun and wonder, and he encourages us to retain that throughout our lives. We can choose to either live in a negative state of mind like Winnie The Pooh’s Eeyor, or choose to embrace life in a positive manner like Tigger.

Some of the highlights of the shortened lecture:

-Choose to live life with integrity.

-If you screw up- apologize, but he adds that there are 3 steps to a true apology: 1. Saying you’re sorry. 2. Claiming it was your fault. 3. Asking how you can make it right.

-Show gratitude.

-Don’t complain, just work harder.

-If you conduct your life in the “right” way, karma will take care of everything and your dreams will come to you.

Some very wise words from a man who faced his own mortality.

He chose to make his last days good ones, and in doing so this courageous man has left a legacy that has reached, and will continue to reach, far beyond the message he wanted to leave his children. Live the right way and “the dreams come to you”.

Rest in peace, Randy.

The shorter Oprah version follows.