One Love

I finally finished reading "Tuesdays with Morrie" last night. It was my bathroom book...and I read it literally one page at a time for the most part. I wish I knew when I started...it was this year ...but pretty early on. Mind you...my bathroom time is rarely spent alone so that also cuts into my reading time.

What a wonderful story. A dying man's discussions with his young student and friend. Very poignant stuff. I wanted to share one of his analogies with you. Its about our interconnectedness and the cycle of life. I meant to bring the book with me this morning..but left it at home. So I googled it, and ended up finding a wonderful well written post on the topic. I have copied a bit of it here for you.



"Humans often teach and preach about the problems that exist in the world and rarely reflect on the pain they feel. We compete against each other; thus creating greater strife. We battle the little boy or girl within. We are never good enough, strong enough, pretty enough, or truly lovable.

As a culture, we create awards for every accomplishment. We acknowledge what is done. The millenniums feel lonely; yet, in school, at home, on the playground parents made sure they were never alone. The boomers think themselves isolated. Mommy and Daddy spent more money, than "quality" time with them. I trust the "silent generation" thought they suffered. The X and Ys also could complain and did.

Humans, I believe are here to learn. The lesson most vital is the one most of us miss. Who are we; why are we here may be essential questions. However, I think these may torment us. Perhaps, if we accept that nothing is more significant than the relationship we have with every other entity, inclusive of ourselves, we could feel more connected and still singularly unique.

Sadly, humans tend to see them selves as separate or an integral part of a group. The world is black or white. I am a winner or a loser. People struggle to realize they are whole, and intertwined. They are not solitary souls or an assemblage. I offer the wisdom of the Wave Story." Betsy Angert

"I heard a nice little story the other day," Morrie says. He closes his eyes for a moment and I wait.
"Okay. The story is about a little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the fresh air -- until he notices the other waves in front of him, crashing against the shore. "
" 'My God, this is terrible,' the wave says 'Look what's going to happen to me!' "
"Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, 'Why do you look so sad?' "
"The first wave says, 'You don't understand! We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn't it terrible?' "
"The second wave says, 'No, you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.' "
I smile. Morrie closes his eyes again.
"Part of the ocean," he says. "Part of the ocean." I watch him breathe, in and out, in and out.
- Tuesdays with Morrie, page 179