The Last Lecture: Chapter 28 Summary & Analysis

Randy first knew that pretty much anything was possible when he was eight years old and men first walked on the moon. Randy was at camp, and all the kids were brought to the main farmhouse where a TV was set up to watch the landing. The astronauts took a long time to get organized, and, though Randy was happy to wait, the organizers of the camp felt it was taking too long and forced the kids to go back to bed. Even as an eight-year-old, Randy was mad at the camp directors; considering that his species made it off the planet, Randy thought caring about bedtime was kind of dumb.

However, when Randy got home a few weeks later, he found that his dad had taken a photo of their TV set the moment Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. His dad had preserved the moment, knowing it could “help trigger big dreams.” Randy says he understands the money for the space program could be used to fight poverty, but, as a scientist, he sees “inspiration as the ultimate tool for doing good.” So, he tells the reader to give themselves permission to dream, and fuel their kids’ dreams, too, even if that means staying up past bed time every once in a while.