Mitch,” he said, “the culture doesn’t encourage you to think about such things until you’re about to die. We are so wrapped up with egotistical things, career, family, having enough money, meeting the mortgage, getting a new car, fixing the radiator when it breaks – we’re involved in trillions of little acts just to keep going. So, we don’t get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying, is this all? Is this all I want? Is something missing?
Why I Picked This Book?
The title of the book, “tuesdays with Morrie” was interesting and the cover text was catchy and thought-provoking, it caught my attention. I have heard about this book from someone who found it interesting and inspiring. Usually, “motivational” or “inspirational” books are not my genre unless it’s a memoir or biography, but this one was different. A student visiting his teacher during his last days to learn some of the greatest life lessons was interesting and I decided to read the book.
The Book
A high-profile sports columnist came to know about his college teacher and the rare disease he is battling, through a TV interview. He reached out to his teacher, first to get an interview for his media house, but later to learn the most important lessons of life from the teacher he admired and respected. The teacher Morrie was suffering from a rare disease for which there was no medicine at that time, so death was inevitable. The author decided to meet his ailing teacher every Tuesday to spend time with him to discuss various subjects like life, marriage, money, and death. The book is a compilation of the talks and discussions between the author and his teacher.
“Dying,” Morrie suddenly said, “is only thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else.
The book provides words of wisdom from a man on his deathbed and accepts it without fear or regret. The author Mitch visits his teacher every Tuesday and they discuss life, death, and many things in between. What should be our priorities in life, and what should be given more importance over others? Throughout these Tuesday meetings, Mitch observed the deteriorating condition of his teacher Morrie and was amazed to see how even in the pain and suffering he was full of life.
“Part of the problem, Mitch, is that everyone is in such a hurry,” Morrie said. “People haven’t found meaning in their lives, so they’re 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, and they keep running.”
Every Tuesday when Mitch visits Morrie, he finds him weaker than last time and feels more enlightened after the visit. The conversations or as the author says the classes with his teacher Morrie were turning out to be great life lessons for Mitch and he got a new perspective of looking at things. The “Tuesdays” conversations between the professor and his student are insightful and enlightening.
The book is short and crisp with words of wisdom on every page you turn. Morrie gives some of the best life lessons in his final class and his student Mitch presents it to the world in the simplest form. The book is easy to read and understand and stays with the readers for some time. It’s a beautiful read, which one should read occasionally.
About The Author
Mitch Albom writes for the DETROIT FREE PRESS and the Associated Press Sports Editors have voted him America’s No. 1 sports columnist ten times. He is a former professional musician and hosts a daily radio show on WJR in Detroit.
Our Verdict
Tuesdays with Morrie is a book that everyone should read to stay grounded and in touch with the actual meaning of life. It makes you pause and think about the purpose of your life, about the priorities and the goals you have set for yourself. It teaches you about love, compassion, and forgiveness, and above all tells us that death is inevitable, and one should treat it as such. The more important thing is how we live and what impact we leave on the lives of the people around us.