Life In Review Essay, Research Paper

As we enter a new year, a new century, and a new millennium, let us reflect on what it means to be human; to learn, to share, to love, and to die. Tuesdays with Morrie is the story of a middle-aged “success” who has the life-changing opportunity to reconnect with his college mentor and learn (or relearn) some of Life’s more challenging lessons. Morrie Schwartz, dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease, reflects on his family, work, and the meaning of it all, with a full heart and very few regrets. Mitch Albom, the aforementioned success, sits by his old professor’s side and listens with an ever-expanding understanding of what these last few lessons are worth.

Can we review our own lives and be satisfied that we have not wasted days or even years on meaningless goals and projects? Morrie makes his Tuesday visits with Mitch a final class on how to be proud of your efforts, how to acknowledge love, and how to say good-bye. As you read, try to put yourself not just in Morrie’s place, but in Mitch’s as well. Are these lessons you are ready to hear? Can experiencing the death of someone you love bring an added richness to your life? Could Morrie have taught these same things to Mitch if he were not dying?

We’ll start the 21st Century by thinking

about the value of a single human life and how that life can reflect upon so many others. I encourage readers to bring something of themselves back to the conversation. Tuesdays with Morrie touches on issues we all can connect to – how are you coping with the human condition? What have you learned? What would you like to share

Morrie seems almost fearless in choosing to fully experience his illness. He consciously chooses to review his life and actively pass on the lessons he has learned. Have you ever had contact with a similar terminally ill person? Can you imagine being as direct during your own death? What do you think is the most important lesson Morrie offers to Mitch? As I read the book I started to think about the things I’ve learned in my own life — the things I would like to share. What lessons would you add to Morrie’s?

Albom was surprised and saddened to learn that Morrie was dying and quickly got in touch with his old professor. What started as a reunion of old friends turned into the project of a lifetime.

Mitch and Morrie subsequently spent the next sixteen Tuesdays together exploring many of life’s fundamental issues — family, marriage, aging and culture to name a few. Morrie was giving his last lecture while Mitch was writing his final thesis.

Take aging — an issue many struggle with. As his disease progresses, Morrie finds himself dealing with aging in a more concentrated way than most. When Mitch asks him how he is able to refrain from being jealous of the young, Morrie says, “It’s like going back to being a child again. Someone to bathe you. Someone to lift you. Someone to wipe you. We all know how to be a child. It’s inside all of us. For me it’s just remembering how to enjoy it.” With wonderful insight, Morrie continues, “We all yearn in some way to return to those days when we were completely taken care of — unconditional love, unconditional caring. Most of us didn’t get enough.” Now if that isn’t getting the most of an unfortunate situation, I don’t know what is!

Tuesdays with Morrie Summary This book is an intriguing description of an old mans battle with death. More specifically that man is suffering from Lou Gehrig?s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); a disease that affects the neurological system. There is no cure for this disease, and the only good that can come out of having it is the chance to say goodbye. The chance to educate people on the meaning of life and the chance to give back what so many have given you. I think Morrie does exactly that, in this novel and in life. In this novel there are two people that are at the base of the story and several supporting people for both Morrie and Mitch. Mitch is a former student of Morrie?s who has come back to bid his professor and his good friend goodbye. While doing this, Morrie and Mitch both agree to do a final thesis on Morrie?s death. They meet on Tuesdays and discuss several different topics about life. Mitch films these sessions in hopes of being able to watch them after Morrie?s passing, and to help him in writing this thesis. As Morrie gets into the final stages of his illness he can no longer do anything except talk, and even that is quickly passing away. Morrie said that he knew it would be bad when he could no longer wipe his ass. But when that time came he said he actually enjoyed it, that it was like being a baby again. Morrie demonstrates tremendous caring in this book; trying to help people until the very end. He even goes as far as to say that if he could have another son he wishes that it could be Mitch. The final session ends with Morrie telling Mitch he loves him and Mitch doing the same and they both start to cry; something Mitch said he would never do. Morrie spends his final days with his nuclear family and dies alone in his bed, almost like he had planned it that way. This is probably one of the best books I?ve ever read. The lessons you learn just by reading the book are tremendous. Morrie is a great professor, even after his death, as this book proves to be true. I know I?ll never forget this book and the numerous lessons it has taught me. Life is a precious thing, live for the now.