HW 23 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 2

Continuing to read "Tuesdays with Morrie" gives me sources to expand my own ideas about the general topic of Death and Illness. At this point in the book, which is basically in the middle, topics are spoken about that quite honestly open my ears alot.

For example, on the subject of Death and how to deal with its unknown arrival, Morrie makes a point that is first surprising, but then understandable. He says " When you learn how to die, you leanrn how to live" (pg. 82). This to me is a very strong statment. At first thought, death could actually be a very scary thing. i know it was for me as I was younger. However, it's wrong to take a big chunk of your life to be scared of death. So, Morrie's point is that once you come to terms with death, which is its not that bad and its gonna happen reagradless, you should just accept it and be happy with your life until its over.

Another example, which is pretty similar to the first one, was morrie's insight on aging. Similar to death itself, aging to some people could be a fearful thought. Most people would probably like to stay young forever. However, Morrie states that this isn't the best way to go, and there is in fact great benefit from aging. " it's very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you'd be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. it's growth"(pg. 118). This statment really doea alot for me. There's no doubt that there are times where I miss my childhood. But if i had an actual chance, there would be NO way I'd give up growing up just to stay young forever. Growing up to me is exciting, its fun.

A third topic that was disscussed in "Tuesdays with Morrie" was how money can't be a dependent substitute for happiness, for life. People may look as money as a way out. Its not just money, some people turn to drugs, alchohol, working too much, etc. There's always another way out in peoples minds, but their wrong. Love and tenderness, according to Morrie,l is the way to go. "Money is not a substitute for tenderness and power is not a substitute for tenderness. I can tell you, I'm sitting here dying, when you most need it, neither money nor powerwill give you the feeling you're looking for, no matter how much of them you have" (pg. 125). This quote to me, makes a huge point. People may take some of lifes "treasures" as the real treasures for the soul, but really, they're fakes. Love and tenderness, the real thing, from family, friends and significant others are the way to go. You may also have that one goal in life that you want to accomplish to badly, its all about the LOVE for it. This basically says that you can't take things for granted and shouldn't be fooled and that listening to your heart is the way to go.