Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at Carnegie Melon University. At age 45 (September, 2006), he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told that he only had three to six months of good health left. One year later (September, 2007), he delivered a heartfelt "last lecture" to his students at the university. Less than a year after that, on April 8, 2008, his lecture (with additional material) was published. If you have not read this incredible book, I can not recommend it enough. Reading this book will truly put life into perspective for you.

In the summer of 2008, I read "The Last Lecture" for my high school summer reading. It was the first book that I could not put down, and it really pulled on my heartstrings. On July 25, 2008, while I was still reading, Randy Pausch passed away, leaving his wife and three young children behind.

Here are 13 of my favorite quotes. My best advice is to read, re-read, and really let it sink in. Enjoy!

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

“Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”

“Too many people go through life complaining about their problems. I've always believed that if you took one tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things can work out.”

“No job is beneath you. You ought to be thrilled you got a job in the mailroom. And when you get there, here's what you do: Be really great at sorting mail.”

“Give yourself permission to dream. Fuel your kids' dreams too. Once in a while, that might even mean letting them stay up past their bedtimes.”

"Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.”

“We've placed a lot of emphasis in this country on the idea of people's rights. That's how it should be, but it makes no sense to talk about rights without also talking about responsibilities.”

“When you’re screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore that means they’ve given up on you… you may not want to hear it but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you and want to make you better.”

“No matter how bad things are, you can always make things worse. At the same time, it is often within your power to make them better.”

“Be willing to apologize. Proper apologies have three parts: 1) What I did was wrong. 2) I feel badly that I hurt you. 3) How do I make this better?”

“You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise the fancy stuff isn’t going to work.”

“When you do the right thing, good stuff has a way of happening.”