HW 24 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 3

Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom, Random House Publications, 1997
 
Precis-

Morrie died on a saturday morning on the fourth of novemebr with his son Rob who got to kiss him goodbye and his other son Jon and of course his wife Charlotte. Two days after our final visit when he finally made me cry, which is something he has always wanted he fell into a coma. He wanted to go serenly and that is how he went, in his own bed with his notes and books and small hibiscus plant nearby.At his funeral when Morrie's ashes were placed into the ground i looked around to realize that the spot he had chosen was indeed a lovely place filled with trees and grass and a sloping hill. He would say "You talk, I'll listen." i had tried to do that and to my happiness this imaginery conversation came naturally.

Quotes-

1. "I believe he died this way on purpose. I believe he wanted no chilling moments, no one to witness his last breath and be haunted by it." (187)

• This segment really made me question Morrie's will power in the end because of the fact that he express deep belief in the idea that everyone should experience everything to the fullest yet does not allow those closest to him to experience his last breath or his spirit drifting away from this earth. 

     2.  " Morrie rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "I'm bargaining with him up there now. i'm asking him, 'Do i get to be one of ther angels?' It was the first time Morrie admitted talking to god." (163)

• I felt that this segment was particularly important because it shows that Morrie is just like most people who are ill and not someone who is above the general population. I think that the fact that he is bargaining with god shows how ill he truely is, to contradict your own values and beliefs in such a way shows how desperate Morrie is to be safe for the afterlife (if there is one).

     3. "Sometimes, when you are losing someone, you hang on to whatever tradition you can." (182)

• I choose to use this quote because it really meant something to me and for most people i think is very true. i have gone through my own experiences losing a loved one and i can tell you from first hand experience that tradition is sometimes the only thing that you can do to remember them, when my grandfather was dying i remember humming to him the same thing every night to help him fall asleep and i continue to do that until this very day to help my self fall asleep.

Connections- The way Mitch albom choose to end the book was very touching, he said "I looked down at my hands, saw my watch and realized why. It was tuesday." and in fact made me cry a bit. After finishing the book i felt that i had gone on this journey with Morrie and not Mitch, i began to felt as if i was narrating my own story, feeling my own connection with Morrie and that i was Mitch. Going through a similar experience to Mitch's i could understand the emotions he felt and so i did feel the emotions he felt. Everytime i opened to a new page i felt my self opening a new experience in my own life. 

Below are the video links to the actual Ted Koppel interview with Morrie if anyone would like to take a look.

Part-1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcnL2o385Gw
Part-2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdlJ_kqmhkQ&feature=related
Part-3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY9VVmzZcpk&feature=related
Part-4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbeHxA55sek&feature=related
Part-5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2BQ7O-fcG8&feature=related
Part-6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=749jb7vzcno&feature=related
Part-7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVHdOvqCH7Y&feature=related
Part-8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyPKXZSFSP0&feature=related
Part-9 (Final) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_mxu8FzOEU&feature=related