You Are Dying - What would you do?
March 13th, 2010I thought I'd share this most inspirational video by a University Professor giving his "Last Lecture" as he has only a few months to live and is dying from pancreatic cancer. It is only 11 min long and please watch it till the end.
http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=ithct48cqw (http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=ithct48cqw)
As the person who sent it to me said, "This kind of puts it all into perspective."
What would I do? I don't know. Probably party to my hearts content and try to do everything I never had the chance to do before.
Some people never get the chance to live out their dreams because "tomorrow never comes" and they die suddenly. Me, I would like to know I have a limited time. I would not feel sorry for myself as I would have the chance to set the record straight with all those I know and there would be no regrets. I would spend all my money like a drunken sailor as I have no children to leave it to, but I would ensure that my wife was well take care of.
I would also smoke marajuana to my hearts content and go out with a smile on my face!
*looks around uncomfortably* -_-....
About the topic question, no, I wouldn't want to know at all. When it is time, it's time.
When I know I'm gonna die, I'll make sure I'll look as good as possible for when they find me.
I don't know if I'd want to know when I was gonna die though. If I knew I'd know I have to hurry to get important things done, but I might be too depressed to do anything at all.
I would also like to have my family know so that it doesn't hit them in the face. Not to say that it still wouldn't be hard.
The 47-year-old died at his home in Chesapeake, Va., according to Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey Zaslow, who helped launch Pausch to fame after writing about the speech — which also garnered widespread attention when it was posted on video sharing site YouTube.
Very sad news indeed. You can read the story here (http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/07/25/obit-pausch-randy.html?ref=rss). At least he lived his life to the fullest as he said it would.
When I die, I wouldn't be going crazy with drugs. A family member of mine went out on a morphine infusion and it is so horrible having a their mind taken away from you before they actually die, of course I didn't know what a morphine infusion actually was when the doctor told me...I guess I can forgive him. I'm sure you wouldn't want people to remember you as the dude who was stoned all the time, how sleazy.
Anyway, if I were to die...I guess I'd just spend a lot of time with friends, hold a huge farewell party, similar to the ones when going off to Japan. I don't have many major life lessons to teach as I'm still young, hopefully my life will be long enough to gain atleast something of use to share with the people I know.
To answer the question I don't think I'd like to know when I was going to die, but if I knew I doubt I would fear it that much. Death is just hard for me to comprehend.
To me life is quality, not quantity; If I achieve my dreams before I die then I will die happy, if not then I'll be happy knowing I lived the best life I could.
If someone has the power to determine the time and cause of my death, bloody hell I'd like to know so I can die in a different way.
A small revenge for pitying me, or not pitying me, or whatever. But I'd try to die a different death certainly.
tomorow you could get hit by a bus, shot, stabbed, or just eat a dodgy kebab.
Death is what it is...
but without death...there can be no life...life is change...and the change from alive to dead the final one.
one certainly hopes for a 'life' beyond..especially for fallen soldiers..
it was an interesting video tho....
If my death date weren't until around the middle of the century, I'd continue as normal, knowing I most likely will be able to live out my dream because I didn't prematurely kill myself.
It would make me select the most important things to distribute and pass on properly, maybe throw others away, thank those, who helped me and maybe play some nasty tricks on those, who tried the same on me ;-)
(All for inner balance's sake, to find the middle to dissappear through this, be sure!)
And then, if possible, a last party or meal, and good bye, see you again, maybe, or not.
Who cares. . .we will see anyhow.
YES!!! I have dreams and every day I have a dream for that day. I am a pure dreamer! I fulfill my dreams. I am ready to die any time and any day. I love God and I know that when I day I will be happy.
i think i will just not be able to take things simply or feel at ease with my self
and i do know that i am going to die someday and that is kinda enough for me to try and work as hard as i can in my life and do everything i want to do.
but if i was going to die i will do and say everything i ever wanted to so that i can die with absolutely no regrets
Why? No particular reason.
But I would be very happy to know that I can finally stop living in this dimention.
I would do exactly what I am doing right now, that is living.
Cheers
When I was going through my divorce, I wasn't physically dying but emotionally I was dead. I was just going through the daily task of being alive, but not actually living. My ex and I were arguing over money, the house, who gets what and how much. It was awful. I felt like I had failed, failed my husband, my self, my life. My lawyer would call daily about fighting for more stuff and let's get him. It was like always being on the attack and always being angry. I don't know exactly how it happened, but one day I decided it was enough - Enough fighting, enough blame, enough angry, enough stuff. I called my lawyer and said "settle". He thought I had gone crazy. I decided to forgive my ex-husband, let him have the house, the money, the cars, everything. I felt free, I felt alive and renewed again. I threw out or donated mostl of my "stuff". I accepted life and living. I didn't want to carry all of the physical stuff around or the emotional stuff. It was as if I had stopped swimming up stream and just let the current take me. I let the current support me and take me on the ride that I would ultimately have to take, I just had to make the choice to stop struggling. I remember feeling "light" again. My niece said her favorite Auntie was back. She was right I had been gone, I let myself die while I was supposed to be living life. That day changed my life forever. I was open to being happy again. I met my husband who makes me laugh and we have fun together. Life is fun. My ex-husband was able to let go of his anger and we now talk and can enjoy each other as friends. We were able to forgive each other and remember the good times. I feel I learned a lot of what that professor in the video Pachipro posted was talking about. Fun, forgiveness and things are just things. We all should keep those things in mind, because we all are dying, most of us just don't know the length of time, but ultimately our fate is the same.
I would want to know because I've had a lot of regrets in my life and I know that, even though I'm still really young, I'd like to be able to tell my family I love them and my boyfriend as well. Its amazing to see someone's life turned around when they've found out they're dying. Somehow, as odd as this sounds, it inspires me.
Like "Well, if they can do it even though they're dying, why couldn't I?" Right? I mean, nowadays people take a lot of things for granted --I know I do. Thank you for this interesting and inspiring thread.
I let myself die while I was supposed to be living life. That day changed my life forever. I was open to being happy again.
One cannot help but have tears at the end of this video. I wholeheartedly respect this man for what he taught me with this video.
Very inspirational post there Goldie and I applaud you for giving up the fight and the material things to go on living your life again whereas others, in greed or resentment, would try to take everything and leave him with nothing as is so common.
The fact that you both also reconciled and forgave each other also helped take a big burdon off your shoulders. To carry hate and resentment around for the rest of your life would be terrible. Life has turns and life goes on, so why not make the best of it? And you did. As a result you found happiness again! Good for you!
When I die, I wouldn't be going crazy with drugs. A family member of mine went out on a morphine infusion and it is so horrible having a their mind taken away from you before they actually die, of course I didn't know what a morphine infusion actually was when the doctor told me...I guess I can forgive him. I'm sure you wouldn't want people to remember you as the dude who was stoned all the time, how sleazy.
My brother died three years ago of stage 4 pancreatic cancer and he was in pain often and was told it would opnly get worse. They even suggested severing a nerve in his spins so that he would not feel the pain. This he refused in case he could beat it. The doctors prescribed an unlimited supply of morphine, marinol (synthetic marajuana THC! That's why real marajuna is illegal!) and oxycoten (sp). He was not stoned all the time, but he was very happy and relieved that he was not in pain most of the time. This greatly made his last days bearable for all of us and we were happy. Sadly, he died in my arms when he said he was hot and asked me to remove his shirt. He went quietly and in no pain.
As for me smoking to my hearts content if I knew my days were numbered? Of course I would not be stoned all the time as I would like to enjoy what's left of my life also. But for those moments when nothing was going on, yes I would be smoking the evil weed to keep any pain at bay and think!
To me life is quality, not quantity; If I achieve my dreams before I die then I will die happy, if not then I'll be happy knowing I lived the best life I could.
That's what it's all about!
I'd like to know the hour of my death so I can gather my friends and family and give proper farewells.
Same here!
Someone very wise once told me that; "carrying bitterness and hate is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die". In the end it can never hurt anyone more than you your self.
I hope I can remember this lesson as long as I live.
As for the question. I don't think I would want to know.
Endeavoring to better oneself is what life is all about and knowing the hour of one's death would pretty much kill all the fun of it.
To live every day as if it was the last, can't really be done, but one can always try! :-)
I can look over my shoulder and say that I have had a fascinating life. Not an easy life, it has been very hard on me by times but also very beautiful. And I did it all my way.
I feel sad to leave this cruel and beautiful world, but then nothing last forever.
I believe that so. If you knew the future and you don't like it , you could change it . The fate is not a line . It is a tree . It contains infinite possibilities , roads , each one different .
I really don't know though whether i would want to find when i'm going to die...I guess, i probably would want to find out. But either way, i do feel guilt over the lack of things i'm doing in my life right now- even if i found out that i was guaranteed to live to 80 years old, i still want to do more with my life right now.
That lecture was interesting - his attitude is so positive, knowing he only has months to live. I liked what he said at the end - that if you live your life the right way, karma will take care of itself. That's basically what I believe.
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