This week our assignment: Read Tuesdays with Morrie and reflect on what struck us the most about this book and why. I struggle with finding the time to read. I had started the book during the beginning of class, always thinking of picking it up and continuing but never finding the time. When I finally committed to reading the remainder of the book it didn't take as long as I thought. It was such and easy read, and an overall enjoyable story. Here's what struck me about this book.......
Throughout this book the author writes about his time with a dying man. Morrie, the author's college professor, has an illness that will eventually take his life. I love that he takes this curve in life and think of it as yet just one more teaching opportunity. The one thing he tries to do as the chapters go on is to teach Mitch that when you learn how to die, you will then learn to live. This line is repeated in the book several times.
If we treat everyday like the gift that it is, then we can truly learn to live without regret. Now that may be easier said than done. We don't need to wake up to an epiphany and change all at once; but if we take baby steps, a little change here and there. Then when we look back on our lives, we can reminisce about our experiences. We can look at our successes and our failures knowing that we lived each moment and became the person we are today because of not in spite of them.
On page 112 Morrie states "people want to feel that they matter." Absolutely! Isn't that the truth. Whatever we do in our lives we want to matter. Matter to your spouse, your children, your peers. We want to be seen as a person that others look to for advice, answers, and even guidance. We live everyday trying to be a good person.
I often wonder how people that are diagnosed with a terminal illness can live their life with such a positive outlook. You see children undergoing cancer treatments and they always seem to have a smile on their face. Maybe it's like Morrie says, once you learn to die you learn to live. Maybe when you know or except that this wonderful daily existence isn't something to be taken for granted thats when you really live. We all know we're going to die someday, it's inevitable, then why don't we make everyday remarkable. Just because it's raining doesn't mean we still can't enjoy being outside. We just need different equipment to make the day fun. Let's start looking for the silver lining in everything we do. Imagine if more people did this, imagine how much we could help one another, if we could just treat others as if they mattered.
In conclusion after reading this book, after sitting in this class I hope to see things differently, to enjoy the life I have been given and to look at everyday as a blessing. I will try to make better choices and find the good that life has to offer.
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