Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported on the trend by university professors to give a "Last Lecture," the nuggets gleaned from a lifetime of work and play. They highlighted a last lecture given by Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor, who is dying of pancreatic cancer at the age of 46. In his talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch related his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

After the lecture was given, the Wall Street Journal ran another article, about the response to the lecture, not just from those who were physically present but also those who saw it via YouTube and Google Video. Viewers reported the impact on their psyche in leading better lives, for their sake and for those around them. At last count, several hundred thousand people had viewed the video.

We are hungry for wisdom. The dying have the gift of focus and perspective to give us that wisdom.