The Most Inspiring Tuesday
If you have been perpetually reading my blogs for the past few months, it would be no secret that I have reading and analyzing the memoir Tuesdays With Morrie, written by Mitch Albom in 1997. While the book may include interesting anecdotes, including Morrie's developed friendship with television host Ted Koppel and the heartwarming classes taught by him, it became clear to me that the most inspiring aspect of the memoir was the many Tuesdays Mitch and Morrie spent together. Some discussed Morrie's methods of coping with the ALS disease, and others discussed the difficulty of discovering happiness for the majority of people. However, there was one Tuesday that really stood out to me as inspiring. This was the second one, in which they discuss how little Morrie feels sorry for himself, and why it isn't necessary for him to sulk about his misfortunes. In this blog, I will be discussing why this particular topic has caught my interest, and what it entails to me.
One of the very first reasons that this Tuesday stuck out to me was due to it's relation to my struggles with feeling sorry for myself, and how little I seem to refrain from it. After Mitch arrives to Morrie's humble abode, bearing Food as well, he asks Morrie if he ever seems to feel sorry for himself. Morrie then states that "I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I’m going to hear." (57). This quote ties back to my life because it describes how I wish I can approach the sorrow I often feel for myself. Despite the immense privilege I have been granted, I still cannot seem to be satisfied. I may not want to admit this, but it is true. I could be having a completely amazing day, but one mistake or mishap can cause a great deal of stress for me. That's when the self-pity ensues. I ask myself questions such as "Why do I deserve this?" and "Can I please be someone else right now?". This is extremely problematic for, not only my peers, but also myself, and Morrie's approach is exactly what I would like to take. I do not want to completely eliminate sulking, but I do indeed want to keep it to a minimum.
Another reason that I found this Tuesday rather memorable was because of it's demonstration of how Morrie differs from many others struggling with disease or illness. Once Morrie shared his aphorisms with the audience, we were dumbfounded by them. How could such a disadvantaged man be so optimistic? Mitch even appears to be surprised by his words, stating "I thought about all the people I knew who spent many of their waking hours feeling sorry for themselves. How useful it would be to put a daily limit on self-pity. Just a few tearful minutes, then on with the day. And if Morrie could do it, with such a horrible disease ..." (57). Because of this large contrast, the audience is more easily inclined to view Morrie as a unique mentor, rather than a disease-stricken man grieving daily.
The final reason that I found the second Tuesday extremely memorable was because of the release of Morrie's views on his disease. While this could be tied back to the the previous reason, I do feel as if it was significant enough to be mentioned separately. While it's clear to us that Morrie's condition is fatal, this line of thinking does not seem to apply to Morrie. After Morrie states his thoughts on self pity, Mitch asks how it was possible with such a horrible disease. Morrie then replies, stating "It’s only horrible if you see it that way. It’s horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it’s also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye.” (57). This quote illustrates how little Morrie seems to care about the downsides of his illness, and how he would rather focus on how it has contributed to his life for the better.
One of the very first reasons that this Tuesday stuck out to me was due to it's relation to my struggles with feeling sorry for myself, and how little I seem to refrain from it. After Mitch arrives to Morrie's humble abode, bearing Food as well, he asks Morrie if he ever seems to feel sorry for himself. Morrie then states that "I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I’m going to hear." (57). This quote ties back to my life because it describes how I wish I can approach the sorrow I often feel for myself. Despite the immense privilege I have been granted, I still cannot seem to be satisfied. I may not want to admit this, but it is true. I could be having a completely amazing day, but one mistake or mishap can cause a great deal of stress for me. That's when the self-pity ensues. I ask myself questions such as "Why do I deserve this?" and "Can I please be someone else right now?". This is extremely problematic for, not only my peers, but also myself, and Morrie's approach is exactly what I would like to take. I do not want to completely eliminate sulking, but I do indeed want to keep it to a minimum.
Another reason that I found this Tuesday rather memorable was because of it's demonstration of how Morrie differs from many others struggling with disease or illness. Once Morrie shared his aphorisms with the audience, we were dumbfounded by them. How could such a disadvantaged man be so optimistic? Mitch even appears to be surprised by his words, stating "I thought about all the people I knew who spent many of their waking hours feeling sorry for themselves. How useful it would be to put a daily limit on self-pity. Just a few tearful minutes, then on with the day. And if Morrie could do it, with such a horrible disease ..." (57). Because of this large contrast, the audience is more easily inclined to view Morrie as a unique mentor, rather than a disease-stricken man grieving daily.
The final reason that I found the second Tuesday extremely memorable was because of the release of Morrie's views on his disease. While this could be tied back to the the previous reason, I do feel as if it was significant enough to be mentioned separately. While it's clear to us that Morrie's condition is fatal, this line of thinking does not seem to apply to Morrie. After Morrie states his thoughts on self pity, Mitch asks how it was possible with such a horrible disease. Morrie then replies, stating "It’s only horrible if you see it that way. It’s horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it’s also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye.” (57). This quote illustrates how little Morrie seems to care about the downsides of his illness, and how he would rather focus on how it has contributed to his life for the better.
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