TALKING WITH MORRIE

(Version by: Names)

After I graduate, it's natural that as the time goes by, and we can't continue the connection we had to
people in our old days, even if we liked it or not, but fate was still playing with us. Unexpected things will
always happen to us, even to the point that meet again my favorite professor in collage. Because of my
job they assigned me to interview with Morrie Many things changed, and the most sad part is that my
prof is near at the death's door. His still lively even his body we're not, he talked to me and offered that
I'll be his student again and agreed to it.

I visit him, Morrie talk about the sad happening in our world. Morrie explains that he now feels close to
all people who suffer, even those he reads about in the news, such as the victims of the Bosnian war. He
now cries for people he has never met before; he admits to crying all the time. I, on the other hand,
never cries and claims that Morrie has been trying to get him to cry since his college days. Morrie tells
me the most important lesson in life is to learn how to give and receive love. He quotes Levine, saying,
"Love is the only rational act"

I asked if he feels sorry for himself. Morrie responds that he does, usually in the mornings. I imagined
the aching pain in his body and would cry about it, but Morrie, on the other hand, moves on and realizes
how lucky he is to have time to say goodbye to his loved ones before he dies. He makes a strong effort
to limit the time he spends feeling sorry for himself, knowing that he was most enjoying the little time
he has left. I was speechless that Morrie considers himself lucky in the face of such a situation.

The next Tuesday, I remembered the show with morrie in it. The host thought about how & when he
saw Morrie on Nightline (name of the show), he wondered if Morrie had regrets. When he mentions this
to Morrie, Morrie says people aren't encouraged to think about that until they're about to die. Morrie
says people are too fixated on the little things. They don't get into the habit of examining their lives,
saying, "Is this all?" he thinks about his choices. He feels ambivalent about them. Morrie says he needs
someone to make him look at life. He thinks, "We all need teachers in our lives. And mine is sitting in
front of me." I stop on thinking about it and returned to talking to him that day.
I questioned him if he had thought much about death before he got sick. He said that most people don't
experience the world fully, but facing death changes all that. He sighed, "Learn how to die, and you will
learn how to live." I explain to Morrie that if he listens to the bird on his shoulder and accepts that he
can die at any time, he may not be as ambitious as he is. Morrie then explain that he appreciates the
window with the sunshine streaming in and that he looks out the window every day to notice the
change in the trees and the strong wind.

As I visited morrie again noticed that his health was not getting good. He was coughing a little harder
than usual and when he finds comfort to talk again. Morrie asked if I know how to detach myself from
experience. I got confused and asked back, he answered that it's important to learn to "don't hold to
things too much, because everything is not permanent" is important for both dying and healthy people
to remember this. He smiled at me and continued, "This emotions in us, will always there, but don't let it
take over us".

I can see morrie was having a hard time cleaning himself and asked Connie to help him. I realized that
they were treating him like a child in this oldest time. As observe this scene, I started to fear aging and
how to keep from envying younger, healthy people, I told morrie about this. Morrie explains that aging
is not just decay, but growth. He also explains that if you're always battling against getting older, you're
always going to be unhappy because it will happen anyhow, but if you view it in another way, then this
will make you happy.

I was reading news with morrie. We saw a newspaper where a rich person show off his wealth and said
that this was the most important in this world. Morrie only laughed like the funniest joke he ever heard,
he said, "We put our values in the wrong things. And it leads to very fake lives". He continued to explain
that this was not the true thing we needed. He asked what's really gives us satisfaction, he continues
"Offering others what you have to give." I immediately thought of money or material things, but morrie
said, "I don't mean money, Mitch. I mean your time. Your concern. Your storytelling". I jolted when he
said this, he continues to explain that helping and giving other people even the smallest thing or action
gives him satisfaction, the thought of someone needed him feels like giving life to this old man.

To meet Morrie, He requests to meet my Wife, Janine. Even though they had never spoken before,
Janine picked up the phone and spoke to Morrie as if they had been close friends, like a relative.

The all three of us talked a lot, and morrie discovered the birthplace and talent of my wife. He was
happy when suddenly cried and discussed how "kids today's" culture has made “their generation” too
self-centered to commit to a loving relationship. Charlotte, Morrie's wife, and he had been together for
forty-four years. According to him, marriage is a test that teaches you about the other person, about
yourself, and about how you can or cannot maintain a relationship. He added that it is very important
for a couple to hold similar ideals, with the importance of the marriage itself ranking as the highest. He
promotes marriage as "a very important thing to do," and he preaches that those who choose not to
engage in it would regret it. A strong marriage is the cornerstone of a family.

Morrie's illness is affecting his lungs, and he will soon be counting worms. I always helped and took care
of morrie on this day. Even Morrie is less ashamed of his own physical limitations, such as his inability to
use the restroom without help. He claims that they often hold hands today. Morrie sadly tell that the
fact that our society forbids us from satisfying basic physical needs since they are seen as shameful by
others. Why didn't he move to a location with a less self-centered culture, I asked. Morrie explains to
him that because every culture has its issues, he has produced his own. He claims that the biggest issue
with most cultures is their failure to see and make use of their potential. We should "invest in people,"
as Morrie suggests because we need others not only at the beginning and end of our lives, but also in
the middle..

"Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others."

The disease is slowly eating Morrie away. "Mitch," he said, returning to the subject of forgiveness." We
need to stop being stubborn and don't let your pride blind you too much, he explained. I suddenly
remembered these scenes in a movie where the patriarch is near at the dead's door saying "I'm Sorry"?.
Morrie nodded. "Do you see that sculpture?" then he explained how his friend sculpted it for him and
how they had a fight that led to sad goodbyes, His voice choked. I can see the regret in morrie's eyes, He
cried softly like a summer wind that passing on the sea while tried to comfort him, he still assured me
that his okay and crying is fine. "It's not just other people we need to forgive, Mitch," he finally
whispered. We also need to forgive ourselves." For all the things we didn't do. All the things we should
have done. You can't get stuck on the regrets of what should have happened. That doesn't help you
when you get to where I am. Then we continued to share small things to where he wanted to bury his
body when he leaves this world.

The last day I could speak with him, in this time you'll understand that he won't last a day. Morrie
couldn't to do anything anymore even talking was so hard for him now. After, his ready to somehow talk
to me, I entered his room. Two or three words he can only say now, I start to get denial that he'll going
to a place where we won't reach him. I told him that I'm not ready, but he only gave me a genuine weak
smile and said he loved me, his thankful that he became my coach. Almost cried, but I responded back
and expressed that I'm also thankful and loved him. After a while, I let him rest and thought I'll be back
for next Tuesday, but when looked at morrie's face, I knew there won't be a next time. Finally, this time
morrie made me cry, and he only replied, "Okay, then".
Morrie died on Saturday Morning, many people mourned for him and news of his death is all around.
After the ceremony, I remember what me and morrie agreed. This time, I'll be the one will talk, and
you'll be the one will listen. I sat under the tree where morrie's ashes rest.

REFLECTION

The conversation and interaction between Mitch (the storyteller) and Morrie gives a lot lesson that
would help us understand the aspect of life. Everyone of us has different view in life and not all of us
would agree with one another. Reading this whole story became eye opener to how to learn to live and
love our relationship to our people. I hope everyone would love this story like us and I’m thankful if you
learn from this version made by us.