Tuesdays with Morrie
By MARVIN SHIM
Every Tuesday, in the town of West Newton, MA, a man finds himself walking a bridge connecting the shores of life and death, guided by the wisdom of his mentor to sail the turbulent seas of life. Tuesdays with Morrie chronicles each of his lessons as he takes a ride down memory lane, a memoir of Albom’s conversations with his old college professor Morrie Schwartz. The narrative begins with Albom regaining contact with Morrie, who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Soon, their meetings became regular and evolved into a series of heartfelt, philosophical discussions, and Schwartz resumed his role as Albom’s teacher to mentor him on living a meaningful life as his own faded away. Albom is simple and straightforward in his deliverance of Morrie’s lessons; although their conversations are often lighthearted, they bear a brutal honesty and poignancy that impacts not only Albom, but the reader. Facing death gracefully is the bravest act a person may ever have to encounter, and readers join Morrie and Mitch on a journey to discover a story of love, mortality, death, and ultimately life.
The bond between Albom and Schwartz is central to the book. Morrie is not only a teacher, but a friend willing to share his life’s story for his younger peer’s betterment. It is Morrie’s lessons that forces Albom to come to terms with his own regrets, ambitions, and happiness. The topics they discuss range from self-pity to love, and Morrie’s beliefs allow the reader to ponder what we need to truly live. Each week, Mitch brings Morrie food to eat, though as his condition worsens he is unable to consume solid food. Morrie admits that the consequence he dreads the most was not being able to go to the bathroom alone, which eventually becomes true. Yet, Morrie embraces his aging, taking his time to share his insights on the fundamental aspects of life in order to save the younger man.
Before Albom reunited with Schwartz, he was a successful sports journalist. However, he was driven by his ambition to get the best story, prioritizing work over his relationships. Despite achieving some level of success, he felt a sense of emptiness and depression. Perhaps one of the greatest lessons Morrie could have ever given to him stemmed from his realization of his own impending end. He summarized it as such, “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.” Although people do not like to acknowledge the fact, everyone knows that their hearts will stop beating eventually. We always think that we have more time to do the right thing, but the truth is that we never know when we will say our last goodbye. For one to prioritize what truly matters is to embrace our mortality.
The one thing that makes us fully human is when we connect to the community around us. We cannot substitute material things for friendship and love. Most of the time, we take these things for granted, blinded by the incessant obsession for money and fame. In order to find meaning in our lives, we must learn to love the people around us; such will bear a happiness no amount of money can provide. In the end, Morrie explains that the only thing that will die is our body. Our relationships with family, friends, and our community around us will remain for eternity. The people we’ve helped will leave an unforgettable space in their hearts for our souls. It is only when a person learns how to die that they know how to live.
Albom had a total of fourteen lessons with Morrie, each covering different themes that shaped Albom’s view of the world. Although “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a memoir, Albom serves as a representation of everyone in the world of today, thus my reference to the reader as “we”. So many people are running for their next destination, in a rat race for affluence. They are running in circles, chasing the next thing they think they need. They take each step on the hamster wheel one after the other, no other place to go but forward. Morrie teaches us to break out of that circle and create our own life. To welcome all compassion and comradeship with others. Such is invaluable. Morrie’s insights are universal truths that can resonate across any background and circumstance. His message transcended personal anecdotes, offering guidance to anyone who seeks to navigate the complexities of life and search for a more fulfilling existence.
During an interview, Morrie is asked how he will survive without the ability to speak. Morrie responded, “We will hold hands and there will be a lot of love passing between us. We had thirty-five years of friendship. You don’t need speech or hearing to feel that.” Morrie’s ability to convey love even as he faced death served as a reminder to what matters in life, moments of connections that define our relationships, and thus our legacy. Life is fleeting, but the bonds we forge can leave an indelible mark. It would be a happier world if more people valued a good home and pure friends above hoarded wealth.
Morrie reflected, “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 the person I want to be?’” We must learn to love not only ourselves but the people around us and do the things that come from the heart. Without love, we are books without stories. Candles without a flame. Instruments without music. Stars lost in the dark.
Therefore, live like there’s no tomorrow. The right time is always now.