How does one face death with joy?
I have just been amazed and cheered by this video. Dr Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon University, who is facing death within a few months from pancreatic cancer, reflects in the university’s “Last Lecture” series on his life, on achieving his childhood dreams, and about what he’s learned from life. He’s funny, he’s positive and he’s not in denial. He says he won’t talk about spirituality and religion, but he has had a death-bed conversion - he’s just bought an Apple Mac (good man).
At the time of the lecture, Dr Pausch was facing, with extraordinary strength, the greatest journey that we all have to make. Inevitably the video has set me to wondering how I would face death if I knew that I had only a few months to live. Knowing how long he had to live, Randy Pausch decided to make the best use of his remaining time to live his values, to help others achieve their dreams, to created good memories for his wife and particularly for his kids. The family bought a new house, moved, he bought a new computer; and he demonstrated that he was in really good physical shape.
I don’t think I would have the spiritual and psychological fortitude, if I were faced with what Randy Pausch was (still is?) facing - but, then, who knows how they will respond to the ultimate challenge until they actually face it.
You can watch the whole lecture by searching the ABC News site on “Pausch” you can find links to the whole lecture.
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[...] via Barney’s excellent blog I learned about Dr Randy Pausch, a young man with a family, dying of pancreatic cancer. Sounds [...]
Barney,
I am posting anonymously for reasons that will be apparent.
I have found that many people, even/especially Baha’is, have a very positive, welcoming attitude toward their own death. As Baha’is, of course, we have many fine examples of martyrdom; but I find also that in those cases that I meet, where it is clearly not an instance of dying for the Faith, the nobility of our calling shines forth in greeting death with affection.
I have two Baha’i friends who know that my life will soon be over (I am mid-50’s with a wife and two children) . They understand my eager looking forward to the next great adventure. - one, because he is also dying and, though he regrets leaving his wife and numerous children, is ready to accept the call; the other, because he is tired and ready for More Life.
Perhaps as Baha’is we have an advantage over the theologies which portray the next life as simply another version, in almost physical terms, of this temporal existence. Who would wish to die if it provided nothing more? However, through the Writings we understand that endless growth and learning is before us - who cannot desire that?
Dear Friend, I am deeply touched and greatly honoured that you have chosen to share your own situation on my blog.
Death is always with us, but most of us don’t know when we will make that great journey to the the life in the worlds of God.
I guess most people in the world would rather not know - and, yet, to some this knowledge is given, whether they want it or not.
Baha’u'llah’s teachings about death are full of joy, and yet I believe I would find it a personal challenge to look forward eagerly as you are doing to the next great adventure.
In one of her books, Marzieh Gail describes how her father, Ali Kuli Khan, when a young man in America pestered Mirza Abu’l Fadl, the respected Baha’i scholar, to tell him about life after death. Mirza Abu’l Fadl repeatedly refused, telling Ali Kuli Khan he was not yet ready to learn about death, but that the time would come.
One day - and I hope I am remembering the story accurately - Khan is sitting in the sun on a beach when some men fetch a boat from a boathouse and carry it down to the ocean. They launch the boat and begin to row out to sea.
Ali Kuli Khan notices that the boat and the men look smaller and smaller as they row away. And, then, suddenly they pop out of sight.
At that moment he understands the nature of death and the next life. To die is to cross a horizon. We are still in existence, but we can no longer be seen by those in this life.
I greatly admire the spirit in which you have written and want to thank you for your very personal and great contribution to our understanding of how to approach the one journey we must all approach.
Its very sad new for hearing the Dr Randy Pausch story. Thanks for sharing.
[...] 11 October I posted this about Dr Randy Pausch. Dr Pausch has been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas. Instead of giving up on life, [...]
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