A beautiful book, with lessons for lifetime. An intriguing thesis and conversation between professor Morrie (in his final days) and his student Mitch. They share a unique bond. To have a good mentor in life is so important, it can be your mother, father, teacher, grand parents, anyone who guides you and shows the right path. Initially, I thought how in this practical fast paced world, will this book do justice. But it resonates with everybody. It teaches to experience things we miss out daily, things that go unnoticed and facts that we keep at bay. How we are in a race for everything, how we forget the essence of life. I loved this book thoroughly. I questioned, why I didn't read it earlier. But as it's said, 'everything comes at the right time to you'.
Heart touching as well as eye openers explained in such an ease. I would like to quote my top three favourites from the book.
One on day, Morrie says he has an exercise for us to try. We are to stand, facing away from our classmates, and fall backward, relying on another student to catch us. Most of us are uncomfortable with this, and we cannot let go for more than a few inches before stopping ourselves. We laugh in embarrassment.
Finally one student, a thin, quiet, dark-haired girl whom I notice almost always wears bulky white fisherman sweaters, crosses her arms over her chest, close her eyes, leans back, and does not flinch.
For a moment, I am sure she is going to hump on the floor. At the last instant, her assigned partner grabs her head and shoulders and yanks her up harshly.
'Whoa!' several students yell. Some clap.
Morrie finally smiles.
'You see,' he says to the girl, 'you closed your eyes. That was the difference. Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too- even when you're in the dark. Even when you're falling.'
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The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. It's become quite clear to me as I've been sick. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is so supremely important. As our great poet Auden said, 'Love each other or perish.'
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But wait, I said. Aren't you always talking about experiencing life? All the good emotions, and the bad ones?
'Yes.'
Well, how can you do that if you're detached?
'Detachment doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it.'
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