life lessons

The book begins with Albom’s speech on being engulfed with his own stardom as an in demand columnist for the Detroit Free Press, as attested by his own words from the book, “I was cranked to a fifth gear, and everything I did, I did on a deadline. I exercised like a demon. I drove my car at breakneck speed. I made more money than I had ever figured to see. I met a dark-haired woman named Janine who somehow loved me despite my schedule and the constant absences. We married after a seven year courtship. I was back to work a week after the wedding. I told her—and myself—that we would one day start a family, something she wanted very much. But that day never came. Instead, I buried myself in accomplishments, because with accomplishments, I believed I could control things, I could squeeze in every last piece of happiness . . . “ And yet it seemed, Albom remained much of the time, unsatisfied. Life lacked meaning and fulfillment for him. And it's only in flicking through the TV channels late one night that he was reconnected with his former professor Morrie Schwartz that he's able to learn "life's greatest lesson".

Let me share with you now some of my favorite Life Lessons From Tuesdays With Morrie, and how each shaped me, here goes . . .

"Accept the past as past, without denying it or discarding it”. – p18. I have failed in my relationships with people several times. And every time, I have no regrets.  Every single occurrence further my growth as an individual. I dwell and relish in the happy moments. It is part and parcel of my life. I move on. Taking life time lessons with me.  

"Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others”. – p18.  I know where I had gone wrong. I fought my conscience into doing what I needed to do. I still have no regrets. It may be unfathomable. But I only do once. It is up to me to neutralize the effects, so others will not meddle any more.  

"Don't assume that it is too late to get involved." -p18. Opportunities abound. Take baby steps.

"Well for one thing, the culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We're teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it. Create your own. Most people can't do it. They're more unhappy than me - even in my current condition. O may be dying, but I am surrounded by loving, caring souls. How many people can say that?" -pg 40. Call me cold and insensitive as I mind my own business most of the time, but I am happy. I feel the love around me. By people who accepts my impurities and susceptibility to sulkiness. You have to know what you want and what makes you happy. May it be grocery-shopping, chef-acting at your own home, experimenting on food,  or just playing the Text Twist and/or Zuma with your family, or blogging on your not-so-ordinary experiences. I can relate to being unhappy once, and I sobbed. Ew. Ha-ha. And I know it is not the margarita. It is the fact that people unfamiliar to you talked about you. “Di naman ako artista no.” It affected me because it is very unlike me to be talkative on the subject. Yet, individuals chatted about it.  But that was it. I shed a few salt, and moved on with my life again.       

"Love. Love always wins" -pg 40. "Love is the only rational act" – 52. Whether you hate his guts, appreciate, keep still.  Imperfections do not unfazed me. No matter how hard I and some try to put reason, nothing shakes me off. Some call it pluckiness. I guess I just have better understanding. And yes, am a bit hard-headed.

"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live." -pg 82. I don’t know how close this is to surviving trials, or surpassing mistakes. As this reminds you how far you’ve come as a person. To live at it in silence in spite of the humiliation and inconsiderateness of actions.    

"Take any emotion - love for a woman, or grief for a loved one, or what I'm going through, fear and pain from a deadly illness. If you hold back on the emotions - if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them - you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is. And only then can you say, 'All right. I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now I need to detach from that emotion for a moment.'" -pg 103-104.  I still have my concerns into diving all the way in and throwing myself unto all the emotions. But somehow I have let loose on the occurrences and go with the flow. The essence is you are having fun, and sharing the fun.

"As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on - in the hearts of everyone you touched and nurtured while you were here." -pg 174. Amongst the life lessons, this one is my favorite. Because it touches on my own belief in giving it your all. Just with the thought that you were able to do what you needed to do is in itself humility, amidst the shame. No regrets no matter the results. No matter what others will say. I did right.  

"Love is when you are concerned about someone else's situation as you are about your own." -pg 178. I have never fallen in-love. As it is still my dilemma. I can’t still figure out how to. But I know I have been a friend. I am more anxious on what the effects would do them, than my own. Knowing that I can manage in the palm of Our Father’s hand. 

I just don’t know why this book still makes me cry time and again. I’ve read this one so many times that you’d think I had enough, but no, it makes me want to read it again and again, just for the good times and the feeling it brings me. A whimsical feeling. The book simplifies what normally people complicates. That life is simple. The stresses of every day life emanate from mishandling of emotions. To learn how to manage your own emotions contribute greatly to your own peace of mind.  The book has its calming effect on me. It makes me appreciate life more, through good and bad. Because Morrie Schwartz is right, life is what you make it. The book is a gift. It helped me how to live.

I can say that I have my own Morrie Schwartz, too. She’s one I love to talk to when I require balance in my life. She hears me out, listens intently. And you can tell her almost everything without fear of your story being retold. She has my complete trust and confidence.