The Last Lecture: What does it mean to you?

[Barry Lane]

Here is something worth discussion.

Watch this and let's talk.

[Amber White]

The strength that Randy displayed in his "Last Lecture" reminds me of how courageous my mother was against her battle with cancer. Although she's been gone for eleven years now, there's not a day that goes by that I'm not reminded of her presence in some unique way-much like Randy's life lessons he left for his children. It's funny what memories are etched on my brain...mom helping me make a slip n' slide out of a sheet of plastic, mom stitching my foot over the sink (she was a nurse, you needed to be on the verge of death to go to the hospital in our family), mom encouraging my pipe dream of being a "Solid Gold Dancer", or the first time I heard her swear. All these captured moments are priceless and have somehow helped shape me into the person I've become.

My most prized possession is a note my mom left for me...much like the video/book that Randy left for his children. The handwriting scrawled across the page is unrecognizable, but the sentiment and voice behind the words are definitley Mom. I put the note in a frame and placed it in a prominent place as a reminder to live each day to the fullest. I find tremendous peace knowing that nothing was left unsaid, but I can't help but wonder, what lessons would I want to leave as I depart this earth?

[Barry Lane]

Now you got me tearing up. I think the most powerful thing about Randy's lecture is that last line. I won't say it so that it won't spoil it for others watching this.

Maybe we should write our own last lectures. I did that a bit in my last book for Scholastic. Lanes laws of literacy. But if I knew I only had a month to live what would I want to be remembered by. I remember my mom, this time last year saying to me,"I can't die," I haven't written my novel yet." So I say,"I'm the writer," and she goes. "Oh yeah., that's right."

So here are some of my talking points if I were doing it. Now that i think of it, Christ's Sermon on the Mount was his last lecture. Ben Franklin's proverbs were similar too. Let's write our own last lecture.

Brainstorm list of talking points for last lecture. (no stories to go with them yet but I have them)

Love others and you get loved back more than you can imagine but it doesn't matter because that's not why you do it.
(this one is real succinct, hah?)

Know the true value of education: It's the only thing they can't take away from you. (this one comes from all my mother's holocaust stories)

Young Love is like heroin: It can make you feel real good and at the same time make you forget who you are.

It's ok to quit as long as you know why you are quitting and you have a good reason. ( I quit playing the violin and have never regretted it)

The only thing we have to fear is fear of fear itself ( Now I'm riffing on FDR but isn't fear scary.)

Real Learning is remembering to please yourself: Fake learning is pretending to remember to please someone else (Plato with a twist. I have to write this down. Oh, I just did.)

Humility is natures greatest give to humanity

Garbage by any other name would smell worse

[Barry Lane]

You are a wise man, Mr. H.

Your students are lucky to have you looking after them. Tis a Gift for you all.


B

PaulWHankins said:

Barry:

Here is one from me. . .students come back all the time from college and they will say, "Mr. Hankins, I am having to make a decision. . .I can't tell you what the decision is, but it is big (I am paraphrasing. . .they don't all say it this way. . .)."Part of our year spent together is in the reading of Tuesdays with Morrie. . .this is my fifth year reading the book so that makes thirty out-loud readings. . .here is what I tell them. . .maybe it will help others. . .I am not wise by any means:

1). Breathe in and Breathe out. . .repeat as necessary

2). Remember that little church you used to make when you were small? Make your hands into that shape. . .

3). Remember the words. . .the church? the steeple? What about when you open it up? Oh yes. . .the people. . .

4). Name the people. . .what? They don't have names. . .but we are supposed to see them. . .

5). Maybe. . .just maybe. . .these are all the people waiting to back you up, support your cause, and send you forth upon your journey. . .

6). And if the little church doesn't work for you try this: Here is the school. . .here are the hallways. . .open it up; we'll care for you always. . .

I don't know about the student as they always make a weird face, crinkle their noses and chuckle at my silliness. . .but I believe this is true. . .we have to be able to name these wiggly little people represented by our fingers made in this simple rhyme. .

Thanks for letting me share. . .and by the way. . .I show this lecture in combination with the original Morrie interviews. . .I love The Last Lecture. . .I have enjoyed reading it some fifteen times since its release. . .I often tuck it into secret pal gifts at school. . .I think people are on to me. . .

One more thing. . .it has taken me some time to name those fingers. . .but they have always had faces. . .


Thanks for letting me share here. . .


H.

[Brenda Krupp]

I am so glad I took the time to watch this. How do you respond to such a lecture? I was reminded of something Brenda Powers posted in her literacy newsletter. Four words that now are posted in front of me on colorful sticky notes- BREATHE...SMILE...NOTICE....ENJOY. I see these words each time I sit at my desk. They remind me to take the time to find the good in every situation. Try it - when you breathe, you can't help but smile, and noticing life will help you enjoy the good. Seems simple, but I think I sometimes make life too complicated.

[Gaetan Pappalardo]

I'm going to short on this one for now (ha ha). I remember running home, crying---"Joey hit me in the face," I said through tears. My mom looked at me and replied, "Well, go hit em' back." I've been "hitting back" ever since.

[Jason Lilly]

Randy has become a posthumous symbol of the power of optimism and the importance of life. To me, he is also an advocate for perseverance in the face of defeat. Even before his illness, he was a man who did not give up on his dreams, in spite of the obstacles. I remember the line, "Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something." Before that, he said, "... The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." That's very inspiring for me, to hear a lecture from someone who truly has childhood dreams that have stayed with him and that he was able to accomplish. I'm still working on my childhood dream. If only I could figure out how to eat an ice cream cone upside down. Hmm...

[Colleen Stark]

You have all shared profound and special memories and advice, we all ought to write a last lecture, and live by it...the advice we can gain from each other...if only everyone would share it, our world would be a better place!

I better get going on mine...

[Joy]

I read the book, but never saw the lecture until today. Thank you Randy.

His legacy has a direct impact on me. In about a month I will attend Programming Alice at Duke University.