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| Photo taken from Wikipedia |
It was back to the second year of
my college life, on that one lazy afternoon when Yogi Bear, the name we teased
to our Intro to Broadcasting professor, entered the classroom with his bearish
dimples greeting us. He proceeded to the usual light-hearted discussion,
cracking jokes at every half seconds interval and that never fail to uproar
the laughter in the class. Ten minutes before the dismissal he announced the
book-reading analysis he would require us to submit. The book Tuesdays with
Morrie by Mitch Albom didn’t sound appealing to me. I wondered if that had
something to do with our subject or Yogi Bear was just leaving us something to
do while he was commissioned to some far away island for his Press job things;
he was a full-time media practitioner and a part-time professor to the
poorman’s University. I didn’t get excited about the whole Tuesdays with Morrie
project as that seemed to be so dull and boring…well, not after I’ve gone
through the first words of Mitch Albom in this must-read masterpiece of him:
“The last class of my old
professor’s life took place once a week in his house, by a window in the study
where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink leaves. The class met
on Tuesdays. It began after breakfast. The subject was the meaning of Life. It
was taught from the experience.” –Mitch Albom
Tuesdays with Morrie was the
story of a young man (Mitch) reunited with his old professor (Morrie) after
long years of separation and lost contact. So intent was the dying old man to
prove that the word “dying” was not synonymous with “useless”, that he made this
final project with Mitch, narrating the trip as he crossed the bridge from life
to death. On their reunion, the professor and the student came up with this
final thesis about life’s greatest lesson. The impact didn’t affect Mitch alone
but all the readers who got to know Morrie Schwartz through this beautifully
written novel. The book inspired many souls especially those who have walked around
for the purpose only of existing; spending their life in meaningless, light-speed
pace. Indeed, to sit in Morrie Schwartz’s final class was a life-changing
experience.
“Don’t let go too soon, but don’t hang on too long.” –Morrie Schwartz
When I read the chapter of
Morries’ final goodbye, I was deeply moved. Suddenly I felt sad about the final
class of the old professor going to an end. His life was never wasted anyway;
he had lived life to the fullest and had given us profound wisdom and insight.
The book is an incomparable treasure that leaves you forever warmed by its
heartfelt message.
“Be compassionate, and take responsibility for each other. If we only
learned those lessons, the world would be so much better a place.”
Morrie’s
wisdom continuously echoes on me and I would let it echo in my heart and soul for
the rest of my life. I was very grateful to Yogi Bear for requiring us to read Tuesdays with Morrie -- this book is what I considered to be the most important lesson that he had imparted to us.
I know that it is still a long journey ahead of me, but I’m starting now to cross
the bridge from “existing in life” to “living the life”. The final lecture with Professor Morrie
Schwartz was very memorable and life-inspiring.
I suggest you also take the same class.
