"How exactly, do you catalogue your childhood dreams?" Randy Pausch
In 2008, Randy Pausch, along with Jeffrey Zaslow, wrote a little book entitled The Last Lecture. It's a book that has stayed with me for a long time. In fact, I'm rereading it right now. Although it's an extension of a lecture he presented at Carnegie-Mellon, I really look at it as his love letter to his kids. You see, at the time he gave the lecture and wrote the book, Pausch was dying of pancreatic cancer, and he had three kids under five.
Well, I have a love letter I want to write also. A love letter to my school family, my kids, and teaching. As of today, I have nineteen days left with students and one more inservice. I've begun purging my room. Throwing some things, giving some things away, and wondering what in the heck I was thinking in keeping some of them.
And as I purge, I've reflected and remembered.
And so, in this month of lasts, I'm going to write and remember and share.
I am torn between a resounding YES in response to the promise of your thoughts, and a mournful NO in response to lasts. These are beautiful days and I am so glad you are finding ways to savor them, to make them count rather than count them down. You inspire me.
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