The Last Lecture

It means even more rereading 13 years later. When the author's Last Lecture went viral, I was a twenty-something computer science graduate. It spoke to me then, perhaps because I was a lot like Pausch's students. Now, as a father of young children, I see it all very differently. I hope I'll know my children into adulthood, but mortality is at the forefront in this memoir that also serves as an advice book and personal legacy for Pausch.

Another thing that's much clearer now are his personal faults. I lapped up his workaholism on the first reading in a way that I actively avoid now. Despite his blanket optimism, there's a cynicism that comes through in parts about people who don't do what he considers the necessary, hard work. These don't bother me, because they remind me he's a complete human—just like all of us who have our own strong opinions that run counter to another's way of life. Plus, through his death he found clarity about the things that really matter. And I hope that's what I take away, as I read this on a Sunday while my kids are playing independently. Maybe it's time we all play a game.