Morrie’s Aphorisms Essay, Research Paper

No bubble is so iridescent or floats longer than that blown by the successful

teacher. Sir William Osler (1849-1919), 4 Oct. 1911, Glasgow (quoted in: Harvey

Cushing, Life of Sir William Osler, vol. 2, ch. 31, 1925). Mitch Albom wrote

Tuesday?s with Morrie as a final tribute to his old college professor, Morrie

Schwartz, who intended that his death should be his "final thesis."

Grim and fascinating, Professor Schwartz?s courage in the face of a painful

death is truly inspiring. The lucidity and wisdom which Professor Schwartz

gained over the years became increasingly pronounced and focused as he

contemplated his life and imminent death, as well as his place in the Cosmos

while his frail body melted away through A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig’s disease). This

paper will discuss five of Professor Schwartz aphorisms (or proverbs), which

would facilitate learning in subject- specific -and other educational venues.

The Meaning of Life ?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 devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to

your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives

you purpose and meaning.? (emphasis added) (p. 43) Professor Schwartz?s

analysis of the "meaning of life" is particularly appropriate for

teaching philosophical views and sociological concepts. Since time immemorial,

man has contemplated why he is on the Earth and what his place is in the

?Greater Scheme of Things?. While students rush through the educational

process in a pinball-like attempt to learn what they need to thrive and survive,

they frequently overlook those aspects of their education, which are the most

important. When people become self-actualized, as Professor Schwartz did, they

are better able to view humanity from a broader angle. This "better

view" of mankind involves a commitment to others and to the community in

which one lives, but it is more elemental than that. Material possessions,

according to the professor, mean little when you are lying on your deathbed.

What is truly important is that an individual?s life is given meaning and

purpose by the degree to which that individual has served and loved others.

Admittedly, Professor Schwartz had the wisdom of years and the insight provided

by decades of philosophical research; however, the quest for the "meaning

of life" is a universal aspect of mankind and finding the right answer is

like finding the Holy Grail — many have looked but few have seen. Therefore,

Professor Schwartz?s thought process concerning devoting oneself to loving

others and their community is particularly appropriate in a philosophical and

sociological learning environment. A better learning experience could be gained

by a requirement that all college students perform a certain number of hours of

service to the community: painting and repairing low-income housing, or

volunteering at nursing homes or veteran centers, for example. This "giving

back" to the community would reinforce Professor Schwartz?s view that we

are all part of the human family and we gain meaning in our lives through

service to others. An activity using this aphorism in the classroom was

completed by my sixth grade Literature class at Greenwich Catholic School. The

grade decided to express the ?true meaning? of Christmas by bypassing the

holiday gift giving and donating their gifts to a local charity of the

children?s choice. Then, each child wrote an essay on the ?true meaning?

of Christmas and related their experience to the activity performed. This truly

put Morrie?s proverb to work. Faith and Trust ?You see,? he says to the

girl, ?you closed your eyes. That was the difference. Sometimes you cannot

believe what you see; you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever

going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too

– even when you?re in the dark. Even when you?re falling.? (p. 61) There

is an old saying concerning trust and faith: "Fake it till you make

it." This means that trust and faith can be learned. Trusting others is

more difficult for some people than others. Trust, then, is the basis for all

human endeavors, which involve others, since we must accept on faith that people

will act in certain ways in order to live our daily lives. For example, in a

learning environment, trust is the basis for the effective transmission of

knowledge from teacher to student. Moreover, it is the essence of living in a

civilized society, for, if we cannot trust the driver approaching us in the

other lane to not swerve and hit us head-on. If we do not trust the police to

uphold the law, there is anarchy; if we do not trust our spouses to be faithful,

there is infidelity; if we do not trust our teachers when they teach, there is

ignorance. Therefore, the application of this aphorism would be appropriate in

practically any classroom setting, but particularly appropriate in a

philosophical environment in which universal truths are discussed. More

specifically, encouraging students to trust each other (which does not, of

course, mean to naively accept everything people tell you) will enhance their

ability to learn and to interact with their peers, their family members and

society in general. An activity that could enforce this trust would involve

partners. One person would stand directly behind the other and support their

partner?s weight. Then, they would let their partner fall backward with the

promise they will catch their partner before he/she hits the floor. This would

provide a difficulty for the partners and would reinforce the fact that it is

imperative to trust others in all situations. Learn How To Die So You Can Learn

How To Live ?The truth is Mitch,? he says, ?once you learn how to die, you

learn how to live.? (Emphasis added) (p. 82). A scene in Remarche’s All Quiet

on the Western Front described a grizzled old sergeant advising his men that

they might as well consider themselves as already dead. This motivated the troop

to find the courage required to continue to fight. While Professor Schwartz was

not saying to consider oneself "already dead," he was saying that by

accepting the nature of life and its ultimate conclusion, you are then able to

make the most of life. Dreams, which may well go unrealized, are achieved when

you realize that life is short and ultimately precious. If you let society

dictate your dreams, those are the dreams you will die with. From a motivational

standpoint in a learning environment, this aphorism is exceptional since it will

encourage students to move beyond the institutional structures, which press

heavily on civilized societies. From an educational standpoint, "learning

how to die so you can learn how to live" would be applicable in classroom

discussions. For example, let?s examine the problems associated with aging and

coping with loss. When people are able to accept their own mortality, they are

then able to make the most of their lives by realizing their ambitions, trying

new things and taking chances they would not have otherwise. In a classroom

setting, taking chances and trying new things are what it is all about: rote

learning will not provide an individual with the insight needed to achieve all

that may be possible. An example of an activity that could be used in the

classroom is a creative writing project. You tell the students to go home and

get a list of things from an adult (preferably a parent) that did not exist

thirty years ago. Then, the students can make a list of things that they use all

the time. The students can group ideas from each list and write an essay on the

similarities of their parents and themselves. This activity can point out the

changing of time and the mortality of life. Additionally, it will improve the

student?s writing skills through drawing inferences and making conclusions.

Cultural Values ?Here?s what I mean by building your own little

subculture,? Morrie said. ?I don?t mean you disregard every role of your

community. I don?t go around naked, for example. I don?t run through red

lights. The little things, I can obey. But the big things — how we think, what

we value – those you must choose yourself. You can?t let anyone — or any

society — determine those for you.? (p. 155) Values clearly are the guiding

principles of life and teachers are in a position to teach them; however, values

are accumulated over a lifetime through parental guidance, other family members,

and pressure from peers, religious leaders and educators. Furthermore, it is

possible for teachers to encourage students to question the validity of the

status quo — to push the limits — to achieve the unachievable — by

recognizing that what other people believe to be important may not be

appropriate or even relevant. Teaching students to "create a culture of

their own", encourages individual values and thought and will provide them

with the ability to think about things differently and to live their lives based

on a solid foundation of personal integrity. Professor Schwartz insight in this

regard would be well suited for educational settings, which require an analysis

of an individual?s place in society and the values associated with various

religions. This aphorism can be used in many venues such as History, Philosophy,

Sociology and Literature. An activity done by an eighth grade class at my school

reinforced Morrie?s aphorism well. The class studied many different cultures

and created list of each culture?s attributes. Next, the students took what

they most admired about each culture and created a list of their own. Then, they

organized that list into their own personal culture they could live by. Each

student created a poster board of their culture?s values and attributes. These

students also did an oral presentation describing their new culture to the

class. We?re All Part of the Human Family ? I heard a nice little story the

other day,? Morrie says. ?He closes his eyes for a moment and I wait. Okay.

The story is about a little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand old

time. He?s enjoying the wind and the fresh air — until he notices the other

waves in front of him, crashing against the shore. My God, this is terrible, the

wave says. Look what’s going to happen to me! Then along comes another wave. It

sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, why do you look so sad?

The first wave says, "You don’t understand! We?re all going to crash! All

of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn?t it terrible?" The second wave

says, "No, you don?t understand. You?re not a wave, you?re part of

the ocean.? (Emphasis added) This "Morrie-ism" is perhaps the most

important lesson contained in Tuesday?s With Morrie. The concept of being

"part of the ocean" reflects Professor Schwartz view of accepting our

mortality so we can live more fully. It is actually more fundamental than that

– it means that we accept the fact that although we must die physically, in a

spiritual sense, we continue to exist in the hearts and minds of those we knew

and loved. This concept would be an effective adjunct to a course on Maslow’s

hierarchy of needs. As people gain experience and wisdom, recognition that we

are all part of a continuous circle of life is achieved and an appreciation for

the part we all play in the Cosmos is attained. At the high school level, this

aphorism would be effective for Creative Writing, History and the Sciences. An

activity effectively using this aphorism could be describing to the students the

effect of the food chain. As the students build the chain, the teacher can point

out the need for all creation, especially the lower species, in order for more

developed species to exist. Another effective activity can be the creation of a

?family tree?. The student can see the importance of all who exist on a

personal level. The aphorisms of Professor Schwartz could be applied to numerous

learning environments in which values and humanity are discussed. The insights

contained in Tuesdays With Morrie took the professor a lifetime to develop and

by communicating them to us, he truly achieved his self-written epitaph of

"Teacher to the End." One last "Morrie-ism" which might be

extrapolated from the many he provides is "Knowledge can be learned but

wisdom must be earned." Professor Schwartz certainly earned his knowledge

and wisdom. By devoting his remaining days on Earth to imparting this knowledge

to us, he "walked the walk" instead of just "talking the

talk."

The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations is licensed from Columbia University

Press. Copyright 1993, 1995 by Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

Tuesday?s With Morrie is published by Doubleday Books. Copyright 1997 by Mitch

Albom.