The Wisdom of Morrie and Life Worth Living

I requested a preview copy of THE WISDOM OF MORRIE (edited by Rob Schwartz) after seeing an interview on PBS NewsHour:

Rob Schwartz is the son of the professor who was profiled in Mitch Albom’s bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie. In this latest text, Morrie’s thoughts on “Living and Aging Creatively and Joyfully” are complied, hoping to contribute to Morrie’s wish of “help[ing] people maintain an active and vibrant life.”  Writing in Morrie's voice Schwartz states “trying to become the best person we can be, aging well, and coming to terms with our issues might be the most important and meaningful goals to strive for in later life.” He further notes that “this book is for everyone, though it may especially speak to people over sixty-five and retired.” The reader is able to share Morrie’s thoughts and fears about aging and he provides numerous inspirational stories like the one about the man who graduated high school at age 81. Overall, the conversational tone is very welcoming and reassuring. I especially loved his comments on solitude: “solitude lets us be in a calm, peaceful, quiet environment, doing work we wish to do, thinking through issues we are concerned about, appreciating nature or art, engaging in a spiritual practice. It provides the opportunity to relax and be ourselves out of other people's control, scrutiny, and judgment. …. solitude permits us to connect deeply with ourselves and our universe.”

Looking for more ideas about re-evaluating your priorities and reflecting on a sense of meaning in life? See LIFE WORTH LIVING by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun and Ryan McAnnally-Linz. It’s “A Guide to What Matters Most” and is based on a class in Yale College’s Humanities Program. Basically, it is an exercise in thinking about how you would like to be remembered. These humanities professors look at theology and philosophy and quote numerous scholars and religious practices. They recommend reading the text in order, writing down your thoughts, and discussing with others. LIFE WORTH LIVING seems geared primarily to the twenty somethings who have the privilege of taking this class. However, it received a starred review from Booklist (“must-read for any age”) and praise (“a collection of wisdom”) from author Kelly Corrigan.