It's never too late! ~ this is what I remembered when I read "Tuesdays with Morrie".
I think about 5 to 7 years ago I already heard about this book. My cousins would talk about it, my friends would talk about it. Since reading is really off my track, I never bothered to find out for myself.
Fast forward to 2014 ~ I was talking to my husband about wanting to read a book and we talked about this book called "Tuesdays with Morrie".
Noel: Meron akong Book na yan, nasa taguan.
KL: Okie, check ko (I am always too lazy to check out books)
The night my husband left for Malaysia, I went to look for the book. I was determined to read it.
Everyday, I travel one hour going to the office and I believed that this would be the perfect time for me to read this book. I have a renewed state of mind and I know that I can be focused on my reading.
First day of reading was fine. I am not a fast reader (like my husband) and so finishing three chapters in 45 minutes is an achievement for me. :D
Reading through the first three chapters, I knew that this is the type of book that I want to read further. I am always inspired with the people who can manage to take things lightly or seriously depending on their state. How they can take pain as a way to be happy and fulfilled.
I am not good in memorizing, thus the things that I will share below are the things that struck me the most.
How I interpret them and how I want to live them.
1. It's never too late - if we want to do something that excites us, something that will bring value in us, then it will never be too late to start. I always talk about how I loved crafting and I know that it's never too late to learn a new skill or start a new hobby.
2. Family comes first - the support that we will get from our family is just immeasurable, nothing compares the warmth, acceptance, joy and peace a family can bring. Everyday, as I become wiser, I get to realize and understand how important my family is. I always stress that family will be family no matter what we do. They will be there when no one wants to be with us during our darkest days. They will be the first to cheer for our achievements and successes.
Whatever it is that we do, no matter how busy we are with our work, with school or with our personal business, we need to continue to nourish the love that we have for our families. The love that we give will be multiplied by millions when we receive it.
3. Money is NOT all that matters - money may be important but not as important than the things it cannot buy. More often than not, money takes away what should matter most to us. our culture made us believe that the more money we have, the more power we get. In reality it does not. It will just consume us, making us want to have more. At the end of the day, we will all face the reality of death and we cannot bring all of those material things in our graves. Everything will be worthless, therefore, as early as now ~ Invest on the things that can bring everlasting memory:
- Laughters during family lunch
- Day & night walks going home
- Giggles with siblings
- Pizza lunches with friends
- Splash on the beach & sand castles
- Coffee moments with your spouse
- Study time with your children
and a lot more!!!
4. Be more conscious - the time when Morrie spent his days at his study room, he made a point -- we all need to be more conscious of what is happening around us. How the leaves changes it's color, how the wind blows, how the rain drops. Sometimes, being conscious is a hard task, I myself is a suspect of neglect. I was too occupied with work that I neglect to notice the simple things that are happening around me. --
- when Mama Inday prepared my breakfast
- when Papa Gary would buy me "pichi pichi"
- when Ma Lena and Papa Nestor washed my clothes and bed sheets
- when Louise would show her perfect quiz
- when Mika would make kwento about what happened for the day
- when Sweets would make our coffee
- when the security guard opened the door
- when the waiter cleaned my table
- when the cleaneres put tissue in the rest rooms
- when the traffic enforces signals a "go"
My husband would always talk about gratitude. I am too occupied with work that I do not notice the simple things that are done for me. We have to be conscious, things that needs our attention. Being conscious is the twin sister of gratitude -- that I can tell for myself.
5. Love one another or perish - this was one of the few words that Morrie always tell Mitch. "Love one another or die" -- Well in all essence this is true. No one can ever live alone, as the saying goes "no man is an island", we need to feel loved so that we can love back.
6. Death does not end a relationship - that is why I always emphasize the importance of creating memories together! These are the things that money can't buy and these moments are what we (family) hold on to if someone says goodbye.
7. Power of touch - Morrie likes it, he liked to hug, hold hands, pat on the back. I am like Morrie in that aspect. I consider myself as an affectionate person and I always like to touch. If you ask my husband:
- I enjoy hand in hand walks
- We held hands while watching a movie
- I love to grip and touch his arms
- I pat people at their shoulders when making my point
- I enjoy hugging people
- I love to beso
Of all the senses, touch is the most powerful one. It can mean a lot without uttering a single word.
8. Hibiscus Plant - while Morrie and Mitch always discuss inside the study room, Morrie would always look at this plant by his window.
Notice how it grows and always admire its beautiful pink flower. "We should realize that we are part of Nature" -- Morrie said. That whether we like it or not, we will all die. That even if we are human, we should not consider ourselves dominant than Nature. We will all wither, we will all go back to dust.
Ps: Hibiscus plant aka Gumamela
9. Emotions - recognize the fact that emotions will come to us in any situation. We need to accept that it's there, it's happening to us. After which we need to detach ourselves from the emotion, especially if it's a negative one. Morrie gave an example about fear. He recognized that what he was feeling was fear, sunk into the moment for some time then detached from the emotion. This was how he answered questions such as "How can you still smile despite the condition that you have?".
10. In order to learn how to live, we need to learn how to die - such deep statement. Death is a word that we all don't want to hear, I personally don't want to talk about it. However, it's a part of life and that we will all end there. Death is inevitable and thus we always need to make the most of our Lives while we still can! That way we can live our lives to the fullest!
This book was full of inspiration and one of the many inspirations that I got from reading this book was -- continue reading!! ^_^
Xoxo
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