Morrie Schwartz
Morrie Schwartz
Morris "Morrie" S. Schwartzwas a sociology professor at Brandeis University and an author. He was the subject of the best-selling book Tuesdays with Morrie, which was written by Mitch Albom, a sportswriter who was a former student of his, and published in 1997. The book was followed by a film version based on the book that was made for television...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth20 December 1916
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
Once you learn how to die you learn how to live
I believe in being fully present. That means you should be with the person you’re with.
For me, living means I can be responsive to the other person. It means I can show my emotions and my feelings. Talk to them. Feel with them …
People are only mean when they're threatened… and that's what our culture does. That's what our economy does. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened, because they worry about losing them. And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself. You start making money a god. It is all part of this culture.
Without love, we are birds with broken wings.
Do you prefer Mitch, or is Mitchell better?
Learn how to live and you'll know how to die; learn how to die, and you'll know how to live.
The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone - or any society - determine those for you.
Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did we would do things differently. Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, "Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?
So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things.
Are you trying to be as human as you can be?
What is it about silence that makes people uneasy?
The truth is, part of me is every age. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own.
Everything that gets born dies.