Tuesdays With Morrie
What’s it about?
Mitch Albom is a successful, 37 year old sports journalist. Morrie Schwartz is a 78 year old professor at Brandeis University (in Massachusetts). Morrie was Mitch’s favorite professor, his friend, and his mentor at Brandeis, but a busy career has kept Mitch from staying in touch. After 16 years, Mitch contacts Morrie when he learns that his former professor has developed ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, a fatal neuromuscular disorder. What Mitch thinks will be a one-time visit to say goodbye becomes a weekly discussion session as he and Morrie re-establish their old friendship. As Morrie struggles to understand and cope with his illness and death, Mitch learns to step back and re-evaluate his own life. For both men, each Tuesday meeting is a chance to talk, laugh, and explore what it means to live a happy, productive, fulfilling life.
Where are they now?
Mitch Albom is currently 56 years old and has written best-selling books such as The Five People You Meet in Heaven and For One More Day. Morrie Schwartz passed away in November 1995 after losing his battle with ALS. (Go to mitchalbom.com to learn more about the author)
What is ALS?
ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS is a fatal disease that affects the body’s neuromuscular system. The neuromuscular system enables the movement of muscles throughout the body and is made up of the brain, the spinal cord and nerve cells. People with ALS lose the ability to control their muscles. As movement becomes more difficult, the muscles begin to weaken and shrink and they eventually become paralyzed. Tripping, dropping things and tiredness are common first symptoms. As muscle control and strength decrease, everyday activities such as walking, writing or lifting a glass of water become harder and harder. Muscles also become stiff and sometimes shake, twitch or cramp. As the disease progresses, swallowing and speaking become difficult. People with ALS often die from respiratory failure and there is no cure for this disease.
Morrie Schwartz Mitch Albom
Carnegie Mellon University’s RANDY PAUSCH: Our Hometown ‘Morrie’
On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged. The video appeared on countless websites and has been viewed by millions. Randy Pausch also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America and the CBS Evening News.
Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote, The Last Lecture. It is based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.
Pre-Reading Journal
1. What can we learn from the “older generation”? Share something that you have learned from someone of the “older generation” – like a grandparent, great aunt or uncle, teacher, etc.
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2. Discuss a time when you were dependent on someone else. How did it make you feel?
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3. Think about the world we live in. What are some of the major challenges we are facing? Which of these challenges will get better over time and which ones might get worse? Why?
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4. Describe a time in your life when you felt sorry for yourself and a time when you felt sorry for someone else.
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5. There are days when we dread what is coming. Think of a time like this that you have experienced and describe how you felt leading up to that moment. How did you make it through the situation?
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6. Write about a time when you did something that you later regretted. If you could go back, how would you change the situation?
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7. If you knew you only had one year to live, how would you spend that last year, month by month?
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8. When you die, how do you want people to remember you? What do you want to be remembered for?
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9. Describe the role that family has played in your life.
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10. Describe a fearful moment that you have experienced. What emotions did you feel?
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11. Describe a time that you did not allow yourself to show your emotions. Why did you do this?
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12. What are you looking forward to as you get older? What are you dreading as you get older?
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13. What role does money and power/control play in your life right now? How do you think this will change as you get older?
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14. In your opinion, why do so many marriages fail these days?
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15. Describe a time when you were able to forgive someone. Is there anyone that you haven’t been able to forgive?
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