More Than a Story by Cheyenne

More Than a Story by Cheyenne - July 2013 Scholarship Essay

     When assigned a novel to read for school, I simply read the book, discuss and study with classmates, take a test, and leave my connection with the novel at that. I usually never care to reread the novel, and I certainly do not apply its themes to my life. However, this habit completely changed in my junior year of high school after reading "Tuesdays with Morrie", by Mitch Albom.      In "Tuesdays with Morrie", Mitch Albom tells his story of meeting weekly with his former college professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is dying of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The two gather every Tuesday to discuss how to live an appreciated and valuable life and accept death as it approaches. Morrie's death is inevitable, but before he passes, he wishes to share as much wisdom as possible with his former student.     Although it is a fairly short, 192 page novel, I can easily say that  "Tuesdays with Morrie" changed my outlook on life.This novel is an inspirational guide to livng each day with purpose. Morrie expresses the need for people to give all that they can to one another: time, love, friendship, kindness, and more. Not a day is to be wasted by not fully exposing feelings and emotion.      The most important lesson that I learned from "Tuesdays with Morrie" originates from one of Morrie's ideas that reoccurs throught the novel: "When you learn how to die, you learn how to live". From this quote, I understand that when people are nearing death they may begin to appreciate life more on a daily basis, forgive easily, and express their love to family and friends among other practices to ensure value out of their final days—this does not have to wait until the near-end of life though. As people change their ways of life as they are dying, they reveal to themselves the ways that they should have been living all along.      Before reading "Tuesdays with Morrie", I had never had such a deep attachment to a book. Morrie Schwartz's wisdom that he shared with Mitch Albom to publish in this novel has truly affected my life in the way that I strive to value each and every day. "Tuesdays with Morrie" is more than a story; It is a life-changing novel that I will always be thankful to have read.