Tuesdays with Morrie is a biography about journalist Mitch Albom’s experience interviewing his professor from 20 years earlier over a period of 14 weeks. The 14 Tuesday meetings between Mitch Albom and Morrie Shwartz are Morrie’s last as he continues his fight against ALS. Morrie shares his insights into living meaningful life, and brings dignity to the process of dying, which afflicted him, and afflicts many with great suffering, but also brings great learning at the last of life.
Morrie’s insights (those in quotes) and insight about Morrie (by Mitch Albom, not in quotes) are worth repeating and useful for improving quality of life and life philosophy:
“The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it.”
He had created a cocoon of human activities- conversation, interaction, affection- and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl.
“Now that I’m suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before... I’m almost...drawn to them.”
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” -Henry Adams
“Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently... But there’s a better approach. To know you’re going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time. That’s better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you’re living... Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, “Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?’ “
“We are 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.”
“Listen. You should know something. All younger people should know something. If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.”
“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re 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 and meaning.”
Morrie’s insights (those in quotes) and insight about Morrie (by Mitch Albom, not in quotes) are worth repeating and useful for improving quality of life and life philosophy:
“The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it.”
He had created a cocoon of human activities- conversation, interaction, affection- and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl.
“Now that I’m suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before... I’m almost...drawn to them.”
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” -Henry Adams
“Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently... But there’s a better approach. To know you’re going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time. That’s better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you’re living... Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, “Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?’ “
“We are 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.”
“Listen. You should know something. All younger people should know something. If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.”
“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re 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 and meaning.”
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