Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

 

Paperback Edition

Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it.
 
For Mitch Albom, that person was his college professor Morrie Schwartz.

Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded, and the world seemed colder. Wouldn’t you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you, receive wisdom for your busy life today the way you once did when you were younger?

Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man’s life. Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final “class”: lessons in how to live. “The truth is, Mitch,” he said, “once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

Tuesdays with Morrie is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie’s lasting gift with the world.

 

***

Tuesdays with Morie

Author : Mitch Albom

First Published year: 1997

Pages : 192

Genre : Non Fiction, Memoir, Self-help

Age recommendation : 13+ 

I've been in a reading slump since June and when I saw Tuesdays with Morie's slim pages, I decided to pick it up and turn out it is one of the best decisions ever.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a memoir written by Mitch Albom, a story about his beloved professor, Morrie. Morrie is one of Mitch's favorite professors because he always believes in Mitch. But like many teachers and student relationships, they drifted apart when Mitch graduated and was busy with his career.

One day, Mitch saw a television coverage, a story about his old professor who suffered from ALS. The same disease Stephen Hawking had. Mitch feels that he needs to contact his old professor, but his career is at its peak. He's a busy journalist, didn't know that he can make time to contact his professor.

But then, the opportunity came, Mitch flew to Boston, to meet Morrie at his home. Morrie is the same soul as he saw last time, while the disease limits his movement, inside, Morrie is someone who appreciates life, loves to dance, and most of all misses Mitch. 

They started talking about Morrie's life expectancy which should be not long. He is afraid that by that time he will be dependent on domestic matters to the people surrounding him. Mitch himself is at the intersection of his life. His career but somehow he felt lonely.

The first visit gradually become a routine visit, and Mitch came every Tuesday. He came bringing Morrie's favorite meal and spend the day talking about life. They decide to make a thesis about things in life. From regret, death, family, fear of aging, money, marriage, forgiveness, goodbye, and many other topics about life. They sat down and talked about specific topics that were prepared in the 'curriculum' while Mitch recorded Morrie's voice. 

As time passed by, Morrie's health deteriorated, but Morrie never skipped the lesson. He gave so many life perspectives, even the death is very near, he was never once scared of being dead. Because every human is destined to be dead, just many peoples escape from that reality.

There are so many quotable quotes that are very beautiful in the book.

" People are only mean when they've threatened, and that's what our culture does. That's what our economy does. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened because they worry about losing them. And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself. You start making money a god. It is all part of this culture."

"Mitch, if you're trying to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down at you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for people at the bottom, forget it. They will envy you. The status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally tween everyone."

and many others can make us the reader, rethink the value that we hold in our life. Since the book itself is not thick enough, it will be challenging to change our perspective directly. But it is a nice reminder for us, to not hold life so dearly that we forget what is matter the most.

And I wonder, after reading this, Morrie put so much influence in Mitch's life that later his writing mostly valued life and death equally.

It was a nice perspective, a quick ride for the airplane read that may bring the pivotal moment in the reader's life.