Last night, Tuesdays With Morrie was on.
It was one of those books that Oprah featured on her show and which she claimed was "life changing." But as inspiring as it was the first time I flipped through the book, I identified with what Hank Azaria (playing Mitch) said to Morrie (played by Jack Lemmon in his final role) about how he worried he was one of those people who wouldn't fully learn what Morrie was trying to teach him.
It's one thing to hear something that you know in your heart is true, but it's another thing to actually put it into action and to live life to the fullest extent.
I dug out my copy of the book after I finished watching the movie and found this:
"As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty-two, you'd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it," Morrie told Mitch.
In the movie, watching Morrie's condition worsen, I found myself thinking back to that week before gran died --- how she was so weak and couldn't even recognize us anymore. I started crying, even though I tried to hide it --- God, I hated myself so much for it. It was so embarrassing...but there was something about how far she'd come from being the independent woman she used to be.
A few days ago, I was out with my family for Christmas and at the table next to us was a little old man, out with his own family. There was something about the way his hand shook when he tried to feed himself and the way his head sort of listed to the side that reminded me of gran.
I told a friend two days ago that seeing anybody who's old reminds me of what it was like to visit gran at the nursing home...all those people...some who never seemed to have anybody visiting them. At meal times, when I'd go and visit to help feed gran, there'd be other people at her table, who'd sit there in their wheelchairs, waiting to be fed as the personal care workers scrambled to feed anybody who didn't have relatives there, helping them out.
So...yeah, Jack Lemmon's performance reminded me of all that.
But I guess what really haunted me was how he looked as he lay in bed, staring out the window, silently crying...because I've had those moments, too.
It's another half day at work today.
Time's just dragging.
The weird thing is, I don't know what else I'd rather be doing or where I'd rather be.
You know...it's not so much about hating the holidays as being resentful of how everybody seems to think you have to be happy.
It was one of those books that Oprah featured on her show and which she claimed was "life changing." But as inspiring as it was the first time I flipped through the book, I identified with what Hank Azaria (playing Mitch) said to Morrie (played by Jack Lemmon in his final role) about how he worried he was one of those people who wouldn't fully learn what Morrie was trying to teach him.
It's one thing to hear something that you know in your heart is true, but it's another thing to actually put it into action and to live life to the fullest extent.
I dug out my copy of the book after I finished watching the movie and found this:
"As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty-two, you'd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it," Morrie told Mitch.
In the movie, watching Morrie's condition worsen, I found myself thinking back to that week before gran died --- how she was so weak and couldn't even recognize us anymore. I started crying, even though I tried to hide it --- God, I hated myself so much for it. It was so embarrassing...but there was something about how far she'd come from being the independent woman she used to be.
A few days ago, I was out with my family for Christmas and at the table next to us was a little old man, out with his own family. There was something about the way his hand shook when he tried to feed himself and the way his head sort of listed to the side that reminded me of gran.
I told a friend two days ago that seeing anybody who's old reminds me of what it was like to visit gran at the nursing home...all those people...some who never seemed to have anybody visiting them. At meal times, when I'd go and visit to help feed gran, there'd be other people at her table, who'd sit there in their wheelchairs, waiting to be fed as the personal care workers scrambled to feed anybody who didn't have relatives there, helping them out.
So...yeah, Jack Lemmon's performance reminded me of all that.
But I guess what really haunted me was how he looked as he lay in bed, staring out the window, silently crying...because I've had those moments, too.
It's another half day at work today.
Time's just dragging.
The weird thing is, I don't know what else I'd rather be doing or where I'd rather be.
You know...it's not so much about hating the holidays as being resentful of how everybody seems to think you have to be happy.
1 Comments:
Sigh..
I totally agree with you about how everyone thinks you need to be like brady friggin bunch happy at the holidays.
I like the holidays, but am not happy the whole season because its expected...those people can sod off.
Me, I find the New Year most downing. I don't think I've had a New Year yet where I've been excited.
Whats to get excited about anyhow? Another year of life, of people judging and full of expectations? Another year of days...lol.
Don't mind me, I'm somewhat of a Pessimist when it comes to " Ringing in the New Year"
LOL
~Signed--> wildwildrose
Post a Comment
<< Home