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Show page 20 lessons, Fail 2004 Tuesdays with Morrie is a quick read, not due to any over-simplicity or lack of substance but because once I started it, I didn't want to stop. Throughout this book, I knew that its "lessons" were closely connected with my recent concerns about the future. Tuesdays with Morrie chronicles a series of meetings between Morrie, a former college professor, and his young friend and former student, Mitch Albom. Morrie has a fatal degenerative nerve disorder known as ALS, and as his condition worsens, both men decide that in order to help ease Morrie's transition from life to death, they will meet regularly to discuss life's big questions and decisions: the world, regrets, family, emotions, money, marriage, culture, death and finally, saying goodbye. Morrie's final "course" will be about his own death, and through his death, he teaches Mitch about life. Mitch's questions about life seem to mirror those of mine and doubtlessly, those of many other young post-college professionals. Morrie understands the basic questions that plague anyone who ___________________ is unsure what to do with his or her life. Morrie realizes the positive effect that others can have on those in need. In one of their first meetings, Mitch asked Morrie how he stays so upbeat even though he knew he was dying. Morrie replied that it is because his family and friends are there, visiting him, calling him and sharing their problems with him, reaffirming Morrie's notion that "dying" is not the same as "useless." Through Morrie's example, Mitch realizes that despite the fact that sadness and fear are inevitable, there is hope and support in others. When I read this, I realized a fundamental flaw in my own thinking. This whole time that I have been fretting about what I am going to do after graduation I have kept my fears to myself. By pretending that I was confident and fearless about my future, I figured that I could fool everyone, even myself. After learning Morrie's philosophy, I realized that there is nothing weak or shameful about confiding my insecurities to others, as I had previously, and erroneously, thought. Why go through life's challenges alone? I now know that I should take advantage of the fact that I am lucky enough to have loving friends and family that could offer reassurance, comfort and confidence as I embark on my post-graduation journey. Later in Tuesdays with Morrie, Morrie explains why he needs the support of others in his life, both previously and now that he is approaching death. He explains to Mitch that all people, himself included, need to feel "fully human." That is, we all need to need others as well as be needed by others because this is how society functions. Again, I recognized my own flawed approach to my recent anxieties: I was being /nhuman. I wasn't allow- "Religion helps to answer the seemingly unanswerable questions by reassuring its followers that life has a way of making sure all the pieces fall into place/' ing myself to connect with others around me by letting my guard down and admitting that I am nervous about my future. As Morrie tells Mitch, "the most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." As I read Tuesdays with Morrie I came across some important realizations that helped me understand that even though I am not religious, I still have somewhere to turn to when I'm feeling less than optimistic about life. I still had my doubts, but it's okay because so did Mitch. Morrie and Mitch examined the problems within our society and culture: America has so much to offer, yet too many people walk around consumed by self-pity and overwhelming grief that their misery and unhappiness are blinding them from seeing all that is great about their surroundings. Concerned that he might wind up this way, Mitch asked Morrie, "how can we avoid this? How do I find purpose in life?" In response, Morrie explained to Mitch that unhappy people are "chasing the wrong things." Morrie further expressed, "The way ________________ you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." After reading this paragraph, I thought to myself, that's it? It sounded so simple, but how do I find purpose? Just pick something that contributes to my community and devote myself to helping others. Contemplating this philosophy, I realized that this is just one side of the cycle of interconnectedness in which all humans participate. I devote myself to helping my family, my friends, and my community and in turn, they help me. Simple as that. In fact, this devotion can also take many forms. In Morrie's case, he devoted himself to teaching and lending an ear whenever someone needed to talk. For the majority of people, it could just be simple acts of volunteerism or a lifelong commitment to community service. The point is not the quantity of someone's devotion but rather accepting that we are all in this together, connected for better or worse. This realization can either prompt detachment and thus, unhappiness, or instead spark active participation that can leave anyone feeling a sense of involvement and purpose. Morrie's words and advice are simple and applicable to many of life's situations. Mitch's interpretation of his old professor's advice is that everyone is intertwined and responsible for one another in some unique way. For me, Tuesdays with Morrie elicited some important realizations about life's difficulties and my choices in facing them. I now know that, even without religious faith, I have support from all those around me, and in return, I can be the same for someone else. So if you haven't already read Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, it is an inspirational book that I |
