今年五月，我看到新聞報導，Dr. Randy Pausch參加了卡內基美隆大學(Carnegie Mellon University, CMU)的畢業典禮。他看來有些削瘦，但仍然神采奕奕，甚至在演講完畢後一把把妻子橫抱起來。我心裡想，或許只是上帝給他開的一個玩笑，他怎麼會死？或許一年以後他再作一場演講，劈頭就說：See, I am still here！

        兩天沒看報紙，今天才知道，Randy Pausch過世了，得年才不過四十八歲。我望著電腦螢幕，痛哭失聲。

        如果你還不知道Randy Pausch是誰，我建議你現在不要再看下去，去點下面的網站，看看他在2007年九月十八日的演講「最後一課」(The Last Lecture)。不要怕，有中文（或英文）字幕：

http://www.taudiobook.com/closed_caption/randy_pausch_full/index_cn.html

我很感謝寫中文字幕的朱先生，不但翻譯得好，而且加上了一些他自己的按語，至情至性，令人動容。

        當然，如果你想知道一些背景再看，我儘量把Randy Pausch的故事濃縮講給你聽。2007年的八月，經過一年的治療，Randy Pausch的胰腺癌仍然沒有好轉，反而擴散了，醫生告訴他，他的生命只剩下三到六個月。這位一向充滿熱忱，永遠樂觀而且不失赤子之心的CMU電腦教授，在母校The Last Lecture講座──原意是一個教授即將退休時發表的告別演講──進行了一場生動幽默，也笑中帶淚的演講。這個時候，他才四十七歲，和妻子結縭不到十年，最大的小孩不過六歲。

        「最後一課」的演講，在網站上被點閱了百萬次，無數的人得到激勵，啟發和感動。美國廣播公司(ABC)將Randy Pausch選為年度三大風雲人物之一；今年五月時代雜誌(Time)將他列為百大最有影響力的人之一。在YouTube網站裡用他的名字尋找，可以看到其他有關Randy Pausch的影片，包括絕對讓你紅了眼眶的，ABC對他和他的妻子Jai的專訪。你還可以上Randy Pausch的網站：

http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

去看看他如何樂觀的面對病魔，如何讓有限的生命發光發熱，如何展現出對妻子的摯愛和對子女的不捨。

        我很想寫出一些我對Dr. Randy Pausch的喜愛，敬佩與感動，比如他誠懇的態度，認真的精神，迷人的風采，對人的包容與感恩，令人讚嘆的智慧與機智，與那對生命的強烈熱愛。但是我實在寫不出來，因為Randy Pausch已經用他的生命直接告訴了我。他的才智與成就，是我絲毫無法望其項背的，而他在預知即將死亡的這一兩年裡，那種灑脫的態度，和永不放棄的熱情，更在我的心裡──我相信也是千千萬萬人的心裡──樹立了一座典範。

        我告訴我自己，不管我──比Randy Pausch小五歲的我──能過再活多少年，我一定要用每一分每一秒，去關愛我的家人，去認真的做每一件事。我不要再責罵我的孩子，我不會再怨天尤人。我會努力的，而且快樂的，充實的過我的歲月；我要享受生命，熱愛生命，直到最後的那一天，我都會笑著去面對那生命的盡頭。

        這裡摘錄了一些「最後一課」裡我認為充滿熱情和智慧的話，放在下面。跟Randy Pausch演講的結尾一樣，這並不是給你看的，是給我的孩子看的。

        謝謝你，Randy Pausch，謝謝你的「最後一課」。

田英奇

wcwang54@hotmail.com

（有關下面的話，我另外寫了一篇「最後一課裡的語粹」，發表於http://blog.udn.com/10inch/2091266，包括了我的按語）

That is what it is; you can’t change it, and we just have to decide how we’re going to respond to that.

When you screwing up and nobody is saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up.

Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things.

When you do something young enough and you train for it, it just becomes a part of you.

Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

Most of what we learn, we learn indirectly.

Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.

It’s very important to know when you’re in a pissing match, and it’s very important to get out of it as quickly as possible.

Well, I don’t have much information; all I know is one of my star faculty members is here and he is really excited, so tell me more.

If they’re standing close to each other, the world is good.

I am dying and I am having fun, and I am going to keep having fun every day I have left.

You just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or an Eeyore.

Never lose the child-like wonder.

When it comes to men that are romantically interested in you, just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do.

Never give up.

Tell the truth, all the time.

Be earnest.

Apologize when you screw up.

Focus on others, not on yourself.

Brick walls let us show our dedication, they are there to separate us for the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams.

Don’t bail; the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.

Get a feedback loop, and listen to it.

When people give you feedback, cherish it and use it.

Show gratitude.

Don’t complain, just work harder.

Be good at something; it makes you valuable.

Find the best in everybody; no matter how you have to wait for them to show it.

Be prepared, “luck” is where preparation meets opportunity.

It’s not about how you achieve you dreams, but it’s about how to lead your life.