A REFLECTION ON

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

SUBMITTED BY:
ANILAO, LORELY
Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship 1-7

SUBMITTED TO:
PROFESSOR RENE LAURENTE G. REYES

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

The book Tuesdays With Morrie was written by Mitchell David Albom. He was born in
Passaic, New Jersey, USA. Albom attended high school in Southern New Jersey and moved on to
Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, for bachelors in sociology. He is well known as bestselling author and journalist, appreciated as a screen writer, musician, dramatist and radio/TV broadcaster.
He started his writing career as sports writer and won instant national

fame.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a true story about sportswriter Mitch Albom and his favorite college
professor Morrie Schwartz. During Albom's undergraduate years at Brandeis University, when he takes
every class taught by his mentor, he and Schwartz form a bond that goes beyond the typical
student/teacher relationship.
Primarily, the book was written to express a certain mans views of lifes important lessons while
staring death in the face. There are multiple examples throughout the book of entertainment, but a few
definitely jumped out at me. When Mitch, the main character, and his former professor, Morrie meet
every Tuesday, they discuss the world, their regrets in life, death, family, emotions, the fear of aging,
money, marriage, culture, forgiveness, and about how love goes on. Any reader can relate to any or all of
these topics.
The novel took place in 1995, in Morries study, in West Newton, Massachusetts. This setting is
symbolic and parallels to Morries teaching career and the many students lives he had changed. The story
is centered on Morrie Schwartz, Alboms favorite college professor, who loves to dance, and Mitch, who
was his long lost students and the author of the book. The story commences sixteen years after Mitchs
graduation day. Since Morries diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS, Morrie has stopped
doing the things that he used to do. He began jotting down ideas and thoughts onto scrap paper, yellow
pads or even envelopes. He also wrote philosophies about living knowing death was very near. One of his
friends was so taken with his writing; he sent them to the Boston Globe reporter, who wrote a feature
story about Morrie. The story intrigued one of the producers of the show, Nightline, who then did a
feature story about Morrie. Mitch happened to see the Nightline show and recognized his old professor.
He called him to set up a visit.

Mitch began visiting Morrie every Tuesday. Their discussions ranged from the world, regrets,
death, love and money; the purpose of their meetings was to discuss Morries view on the meaning of life.
Mitch became so intrigued by Morries philosophies that he began taking notes and even recording
Morrie.
Morries philosophies included rejecting popular culture morals and following self-created
values, loving others, and learning to accept death.
With each lesson, Morrie becomes increasingly sick; during their last meeting, Morrie was bed
ridden and near death. Interspersed throughout Mitch's visits to Morrie are flashbacks to their days
together at Brandeis. Mitch describes himself as a student who had acted tough, but had sought the
tenderness he recognized in Morrie. At Brandeis, Mitch and Morrie shared a relationship more like that
between father and son than teacher and student. Soon before Morrie's death, when his condition has
deteriorated so much that he can no longer breathe or move on his own, he confides that if he could have
another son, he would choose Mitchs he and Mitch hugged for one last time, Morrie notices Mitch is
finally crying.
Morrie dies a short time after. At his funeral Mitch tries having a conversation with Morrie, as he
had wanted. Mitch feels a certain naturalness and comfort to this conversation and realizes that it happens
to be Tuesday.
After Morries death Mitch regains contact with his brother who lives in Spain and is battling
cancer.
The novel is considered a self help book and it has changed lives globally. The student-teacher
relationship showed by Mitch and Morrie depicts the love and relationship that is developed throughout
the years. With the lessons shared by Mitch for every Tuesday visit he made to Morrie, each one of us are
able to relate to at least one anecdote or one lesson of life. This novel is useful to regain their optimism in
life. This should bring back our goal in living a fruitful life with perseverance and hope.
Every part of the book is memorable and if there is a part of the story that I really liked, that is the
quotations shared by Morrie to Mitch. My favorite part was when Morrie warned Mitch that money is not
the most important thing. He tells Mitch that he needs to be fully "human." The things that become more
and more important to Morrie as the book goes on are nature, affection, love, compassion, others who

suffer in the world, relationships, music, teaching others, forgiving himself and others, detaching himself
from anything negative and focusing on peace and serenity.
Another important quote that Morrie shared with Mitch was Death ends a life, not a
relationship. This one really got to me. Death will come and in reality, we will lose our family and loved
ones to death. This is a good read for everybody because each one of us will have to deal with the pain of
death at one point in our lives. Each person alive is going to die. But, although death is a loss, it is not a
loss of a relationship. You could forever have a relationship with one who has passed on. It may seem
hard, but I learned that I still have a close relationship with a special person I lost long ago. Although they
are gone in person, they are forever in my life still in some way.