Own Yourself

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you’ll be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.

 Arthur Gordon

Change Your Thinking

I found this somewhere online - and I loved it so much I just had to share..........

It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

 Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

 If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

Randy Pausch - The Last Lecture

'We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just the way we play the hand.’

This quote is credited to a man by the name of Randy Pausch. If you haven’t heard of him, allow me to introduce you.

Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University was given the opportunity to give what the University traditionally dubbed ‘A Last Lecture.’

Professors are asked to consider their demise and impart their final ‘words of wisdom’ in a lecture to family, friends, colleagues and students.

Randy really didn’t have to imagine what he would say – he had been diagnosed with cancer prior to the offer and was now facing putting his affairs in order. If he had any words of wisdom, he knew now was the time.

With three small children under the age of 5 years old, he moved his family closer to his wife’s parents’ house so that when he passed, they would be able to find support, peace and love amongst those who knew her best. He was not in denial.

I first learned about Randy, his wife, children and the lecture through the internet. I love the internet! I sat in awe of his lecture, watching it over and over.

His lecture taught me so much – from who I want to be, how not to waste precious time – and how to love unconditionally though we know factually that death comes to us all.

I took the lecture to the adult learning centre I worked at years ago and showed it to the classes there. I talked about it to those who would listen and I watched it again and again. I wasn’t obsessed – just soaking up every life lesson message that Randy Pausch had to offer.

He dedicated the lecture to his children – something I thought was so special and would be meaningful to them as they got older.

The lecture was videotaped and went viral online. It was featured on a Barbara Walters special – and his words still strongly resonate with me today. If you dream it – you can do it. Heck, he was even a Disney Imagineer!

Randy Pausch passed away shortly after all of these events happened in his life – and at the end of it all, he still spoke of being grateful. He had accomplished so much in his 46 years – and left a legacy his children will cherish and learn from.

I found his book, ‘The Last lecture’ at a book store and immediately dashed to the cashier to buy it. His perspective was so interesting to me, I hoped he would offer more of it in the book. I wasn’t disappointed.

I’m currently reading, ‘The Last Lecture’ again – and every time I do, another lesson is discovered.

 

Randy Pausch has left this world - I never had the opportunity to meet him in real life, but his story hit me more profoundly than most I'd heard. Perhaps I was in a transition myself, it's possible.

 

Either way, Randy Pausch....thanks.                  

 

THE LAST LECTURE