Tuesdays with Morrie

“Have you ever had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back.” Mitch Albom

I read this book last in 2002, just before embarking on my long personal journey that spanned 3 continents, 10 countries, 4 companies & countless stories. That’s just before I read it again today.

For today, I won’t even try to review this book because I am not worthy of it … but what I want to say is this, if god were to rewrite the Koran or Bible in a loose, simple & yet impact statement for freethinkers such as myself, Mitch Albom & Morris Schwartz must be his messengers.

At a time when I am rediscovering myself, at a time when I am retracing my steps, remapping my purpose & direction, this book delivered the timely reminders of life & purpose to me. It was my light in my darkest hour and it has returned to me once again.

I’ve taken some time to share with you some paragraphs that touched me & evoked strong memories through my study today … I join Mitch Albom in remembering the legacy Morrie left us …

[As quoted from Tuesdays with Morrie]

Meaning of life

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things. 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 & meaning”

Death

“If you accept that you can die at any time – then you might not be as ambitious as you are”

Spiritual development

“Even I don’t know what ‘spiritual development’ really means. But I do know that we’re deficient in some way. We’re too involved in materialistic things, and they don’t satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted”

Legacy

“Someone asked me an interesting question yesterday. [Morrie]

What was the question? [Mitch]

If I worried about being forgotten after I died? [Morrie]

Well, do you? [Mitch]

I don’t think I’ll be. I’ve got so many people who have been involved with me in close, intimate ways. And love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone. Do you ever hear my voice sometimes when you’re back home? When you are all alone? Maybe on the plane? Maybe in your car? [Morrie]

Yes. [Mitch]

Then you will not forget me after I’m gone. Think of my voice and I’ll be there. And, if you want to cry a little, it’s ok. [Morrie]”

Purpose

“Part of the problem, Mitch, is that everyone is in such a hurry. People haven’t found meaning in their lives, so they are running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next house, the next job. Then they find those things are empty too & they keep running”

Potential

“I asked Morrie why he hadn’t moved somewhere else when he was younger.

Where?

I don’t know. South America. New Guinea. Someplace not as selfish as America.

Every society has its own problems. The way to do it, I think, isn’t to run away. You have to work at creating your own culture. Look, no matter where you live, the biggest defect we human beings have is our shortsightedness. We don’t see what we could be. We should be looking at our potential, stretching ourselves into everything we can become. But if you’re surrounded by people who say ‘I want mine now’, you end up with a few people with everything and a military to keep the poor ones from rising up & stealing it”

Brotherhood

“The problem, Mitch, is that we don’t believe we are as much a like as we are. Whites & black, Catholics & Protestants, men & women. If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big human family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our own.

But believe me, when you are dying, you see it is true. We all have the same beginning – birth – and we all have the same end – death. So how different can we be?

Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you.”

Being human

“It’s natural to die. The fact that we make such a hullabaloo over it is all because we don’t see ourselves as part of nature. We think because we’re human, we’re something above nature.

We’re not. Everything that gets born, dies. (Pause) Do you accept that?

Yes.

Alright. Here’s the payoff. Here is how we are different from those wonderful plants & animals.

As long as we love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on- in the hearts of everyone you have touched & nurtured while you were here.

Death ends a life, not a relationship.”

Institution of marriage

“I feel sorry for your generation. In this culture, it’ so important to find a loving relationship with someone because so much of the culture does not give you that. But the poor kids today, either they’re too selfish to take part in a real loving relationship, or they rush into marriage and then six months later, they get divorced. They don’t know what they want in a partner. They don’t know who they are themselves – so how can they know who they’re marrying?

Sigh. It’s sad because a loved one is so important. You realize that, especially when you’re in a time like I am, when you’re not doing so well. Friends are great, but friends are not going to be here on a night when you’re coughing and can’t sleep and someone has to sit up whole night with you, comfort you, try to be helpful.”

Forgiving others

“He always tried to reconcile, but I didn’t accept it. I wasn’t satisfied with his explanation. I was prideful. I shrugged him off.

[Choking]

Mitch … a few years ago … he died of cancer. I feel so sad. I never got to see him. I never got to forgive. It pains me now so much …”

Forgiving ourselves

“It’s not just other people we need to forgive, Mitch. We also need to forgive ourselves.

Ourselves?

Yes. For all the things we didn’t do. All the things we should have done. You can’t get stuck on the regrets of what should have happened. That doesn’t help you when you get to where I am.

I always wished I had done more with my work; wished I had written more books. I used to beat myself over it. Now I see that it never did any good. Make peace. You need to make peace with yourself and everyone around you.

Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Don’t wait, Mitch. Not everyone gets the time I am getting. Not everyone is as lucky. “