Lifes Greatest Lesson

Life’s Greatest Lesson

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” As Henry Adams stated, and is the summary of the impervious bond between the characters Mitch and Morrie, in Tuesdays with Morrie. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease is a form of motor neuron diseases. It is a rare disorder in which the nerves that control muscular activity degenerate within the brain and spinal cord. What results is weakness and wasting away of the muscles. The cause is unknown. About one to two cases of ALS are diagnosed annually per 100,000 people in the US. (Lou) Sufferers will notice weakness in the hands and arms accompanied by wasting of the muscles (Motor). The weakness usually progresses to involve the muscles of respiration and swallowing leading to death in two to four years. When someone is diagnosed with such disorder, it turns their life in unknown directions, and you can either handle it positively and be strong and love through it, or let it waste your life away. In Mitch Albom’s Tuesday’s with Morrie the main character Morrie Schwartz is diagnosed with ALS, he doesn’t let it slow him down in his life; it has made him personally stronger, and gave those people around him a more positive attitude.

ALS attacks motor neurons, which are among the largest of all nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. These cells send messages to muscles throughout the body. In ALS, motor neurons die and the muscles do not receive these messages. As a result, muscles weaken as they lose their ability to move. Eventually, most muscle action is affected, including those which control swallowing and breathing, as well as major muscles in the arms, legs, back and neck. There is, however, no loss of sensory nerves, so people with ALS retain their sense of feeling, sight, hearing, smell and taste. This disease does not affect the mind and people with ALS remain fully alert and aware of events.

The story captures the compassion and wisdom of a man who only knew good in his heart. A man who lived his life to the fullest up until the very last breath of life. A story of a special bond of friendship that was lost for many years, but never forgotten. When Morrie learned he only had a few months to live after being diagnosed ALS, Morrie began the last cla...

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...l of which impact your life. When life throws you a curve ball, and tries to set you off course, only you can either make the best of it, or let it ruin what you have. Just because you have a diagnosis, doesn’t mean that you still can’t live your life to the fullest, and that was what Morrie taught Mitch, his disability didn’t make him weaker, it made him stronger and love what he had even more. As Morrie said, “So many people walk around with a meaningless life. The seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

Works Cited

Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie. New York, Doubleday, September 1997.

“Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” 01 Mar 2005.

“Focus on ALS.” 05 Mar 2005.

“Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).” 01 Mar 2005.

“Motor Neuron Disease.” The American Medical Association Home Medical Encyclopedia. 1989 ed.

“Tuesdays with Morrie.” 05 Mar 2005.