Cast: Jack Lemmon, Hank Azaria, Wendy Moniz
Director: Mick Jackson
Screenplay: Thomas Rickman (teleplay), Mitch Albom (based on the book by)

Synopsis: Mitch became caught up with his career as a sport commentator and journalist. He ignored his girlfriend and did not make time to do things in life that are of the most value to a human being. Morrie was one of Mitch’s professors in college and a famous scholar. One day Mitch was watching television and saw Morrie giving an interview stating that he is dying of Lou Gehrig disease or ALS [1].

Review:

“Tuesdays with Morrie” reminds us with life lessons on how to live with the precious time we have left on earth. This movie, which was adapted from the novel of the same name, chronicles the teachings of Morrie as he was able to articulate his views on life as he looked into the eyes of death. On reflection, it is unfortunate that people only ever really think about their own mortality when they are faced with certain death because when you are given a definite amount of time to live, one prioritizes one’s life in order to make the best of the time left. If people would only think about this while they still have their health, they would live more fruitful and rewarding lives. Western culture tends to view age as a disease, and should celebrate youth over everything else, while eastern culture celebrates age as something that makes oneself distinguished and wise. Our culture could learn from this viewpoint and be better for it.

In life, it becomes very easy to fall into the same pattern day in and day out. People tend to like predictability because it is comforting to account for every single variable. I have learned through experience that this type of thinking, living with the same script that everyone else lives, turns a person into dead man walking. Living life, taking risks, experiencing the unknown with eyes wide open is the best way, in my opinion, to enjoy all the little things about life. If at any point I think that I lock step with a script already written, I imagine myself as 85 years old on my death bed, and thinking to myself, what could I have done better to live life? This has always kept me honest. Living life is not about setting goal A with a straight line to finish with goal B. Living life is everything in the middle and is more akin to sailing from port A to port B, enjoying all the little adjustments, zigzag pattern, along the way.

“Tuesdays with Morrie” teaches us the value of a person’s life experiences and when they become disabled, we should not cast them aside and ignore them. When I was in high school, I would donate time to a nursing home where my mother worked, as well as “Meals on Wheels.” I would bring food to these the elderly patients. One story that I will always remember is a Vietnam vet whom I would deliver meals to in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He was without the use of his legs, and could not afford a wheelchair. Even if he had a wheelchair, he did not have the strength in his arms to wheel himself around, especially in his very small apartment. He hobbled around with crutches, and would always greet me with a smile. He had no family, and no friends. He was an orphan vet without any support. I would always bring extra meals for him because I knew he was hungry. One of the lessons “Tuesday with Morrie” teaches us that it is alright to depend on others, for the simple reason that every now and then, all of us need a little help along the journey.

Questions Morrie poses to all of us

  1. Am I leading the life I want to lead?
    1. I have made conscious decisions on every aspect of where I am today adapting to changing circumstances along the way. I have a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from a great state university. I am an attorney after attending law school and passing the bar in Massachusetts. I have worked at Fortune 100 companies, as well as startups. I am enjoying life with my best friend and wife of 15 years. I still have so much to see and do, and every day brings something new with new opportunities.
    2. Most people I have met live a life that is already scripted and they would tell me that they feel like life is living them, that they are in fact not living life. I believe this is a common occurrence, one that is the foundation of the depression and other mental illness’s plaguing our country.
  2. Am I giving to my community?
    1. In Massachusetts, I was a director at a non-profit “Christmas in April” that would help rebuild homes in Lowell for those that could not afford repairs. I also was involved in other community projects, donated time at local donation centers, as well as a member of the Freemasons. I have just moved out here and am currently recalibrating my next adventure but definitely plan on donating my time in the future.
  3. Am I the person I want to be?
    1. I continue to grow every day. As long as I learn something new every day, I am becoming a better person than I was the day before.
    2. I heard a great question once. Ask yourself, if there was a genie, and they told you that you could be any person in the world, who would you be? I thought about the question and instantly responded in my head that I would want to be myself. Many people would choose some third party. The point is that if you pick someone other than yourself, then you have to take a long hard look at your life and make changes because if you aren’t happy or satisfied being yourself, you need to make serious decisions in where you are and where you are going.
  4. Have I found anyone to share my life with?
    1. My wife, Samborn, with who I have been together for 15 years. We met at a chance meeting where my professor was out sick and my wife had class cancelled for the day. At no other time would we have met based on our schedules because she was to graduate months later. Samborn actually came up to me and started a conversation, and I actually found that forwardness refreshing. It is a joy to experience life with all the wonders, but sharing it with someone you love makes it that more special.
  5. What is my passion?
    1. I enjoy too many things to just choose one. I enjoy a good challenge which is why I develop software, as well as reading the latest legal case. My current passion is being involved in filmmaking, and I am currently absorbing anything and everything I can get my hands on. I have always loved writing because the therapy allows me to get myriad thoughts out of my head and onto paper, a way for me to express myself. I realized in speaking with a friend out here that I should try screenwriting because I have so many interesting stories to tell.
  6. Who is my Morrie (mentor)? Why?
    1. Interestingly enough, I don’t have a Morrie. I take life lessons from personal experience, learning from mistakes, reading as many books as I can get my hands on, and listening to other people’s stories. I believe that people come into our lives and leave as if to teach us some life lesson. I have had people like this through the years, and tried to learn from those relationships and the possible teachings.
  7. In 10 years, I will be…
    1. Running a successful software business solving real problems. Nothing would bring me more joy than to make the lives of another better even in some small way.

References:

  1. “Tuesdays with Morrie.” IMDb: The Internet Movie Database. IMDb.com-Amazon.com, 1990-2014. Wed. 26 March 2014. < http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207805/?ref_=nv_sr_1>.
  2. “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Rotten Tomatoes.com, 2014. Wed. 26 March 2014. < http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tuesdays_with_morrie/>.
  3. “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 2014. Wed. 26 March 2014. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuesdays_with_Morrie_%28film%29>.