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**Hud3** · 26-07-2008, 10:31

From time to time, we talk in this Forum about our sailing and cruising dreams. I was just reading about Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon Institute. Dr. Rausch died yesterday, a victim of pancreatic cancer. He was only 47 years of age. Last September, knowing that he was dying and that there would be no cure, he gave a lecture to about 400 students and colleagues, in which he talked about life's lessons, and the importance of achieving childhood's dreams.

The lecture, entitled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", has become known as "The Last Lecture". It was recorded, and has become an inspiration to millions of people. You can view it here:

YouTube - Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

The essence of Pauch's message, the underlying lesson of life, is that if you live your life the right way, the dreams take care of themselves. Good conduct consists of being earnest, honest, working hard, and realizing that brick walls in life are only there to separate those who really want to do something from those who just say they want to. Do all that and "the dreams come to you."

This message really speaks to me. A quarter of a century ago, I had a dream to cruise the Caribbean in my own boat. For years, I never thought it would be possible, for a lot of different reasons. Then, over a few weeks time six years ago, everything came together, and we were able to buy our boat. The next season, we felt capable of sailing to Bermuda and back. The following year we were in the Caribbean, living our dream.

Dr. Pausch was right.