Tuesdays+with+Morrie


 * DIRECTIONS: Each student in the group is responsible for inventing one discussion question. This discussion question must be posted on the Monday of each week, ensuring time for discussion of each question. Each member of the group, including the person who invented the question, MUST respond to the discussion AT LEAST twice EACH week. Your participation in these online discussions, along with the amount of effort and reflection put into your responses, will account for a portion of your Literature Circle final grade. Each time you post a discussion question or a response,you MUST skip a space from what was written above, and you MUST begin your writing with your last name and first initial so I can mark your participation. It would also be helpful if you choose a specific colour and stick to that colour each week to identify yourself with also.

Week 4 Discussion Question: Keetchk- This week let's discuss teen deaths. Do we think that these teens that die so young manage to achieve Morrie's goals for a peaceful death? Things such as forgiveness to yourself and others.

Pughh- I think teen death would be a very scary situation to endure. Because depending how close you are to this person the grieving process will take longer. I myself have dealt with some of my friends thinking and debating whether or not to kill themselves. From experience just knowing that they are thinking about it is scary. to answer the secind question it really depends on the situation that the person is going through because in some cases no they would not achieve Morrie's goals but in others it may. For some reason or another forgiveness to yourself and others would be harder if the cause of death was influenced by someone else. In many cases that is more likely. When we are teens we are easily peer presured and taken advantage of. Some people know that they can cause these problems and take advantage of that power to control and achieve what they want. People can crawl under your skin without even noticing they control you and ruin your life. From experience of being weak and not making my own decisions people took over my life and made it horrible. In my case no I would not achieve Morrie's goal for a peaceful death after I would never be able to forgive myself.

tillm-I think that a teennager would just worry to much and get stressed out faster. teens probbly would not be able to handle it.

Keetchk- I think most teens that die do not accomplish the goals that Morrie has set down for a successful life. Not only do they not have alot of time to concentrate on them, they aren't really a major and important part of a person's life at that time in their life. If the teen commited suicide it's even more unlikely that they accomplished these goals. This is because if they had they would realize the reason they are killing themselves is probably not a huge deal. It is to them at the time, but if they stepped back and looked at the bigger picture of life, they're realize the problem causing them to do this is really rather small. Morrie talks about this in the book. He talks about how the young are not wise because we have not lived and focus on unimportant things. No statement could be more true.

Pughh- I agree with you, Krista completely. Honestly when you look at the big life picture the problem wpuld most definitely look small compared to other things in life! Morrie's words are wise and I completely agree with them most of the time the youth are not wise and do focus on unimportant things in life but thats just part of the growing and learning process. Without going through this long and hard process we would not be able to learn from our mistakes and make new mistakes and learn from them as well. But becoming wise and focusing on the important things in life takes some time. Not everyone takes the time to focus on life itself. Its a long and winding road of twists and turns and with the additional bumps on the way. The pathway to life can be long and full of experience or it can be short and pass by in a flash. Yes the youth may not be wise at certain points in their lives but at one point even Morrie, a very wise man was once a teenager as well. So his words of wisdom took time to develope over the many years of his life.

Keetchk- I very much agree Holly. It's very unfortunate how not wise the young are. And it's not their fault at all! It's sad to think that so many lives are lost for reasons that more wise adults would scoff at. These precious lives are lost for almost nothing. Just think of the things that person could have accomplished in their life. But now they won't have a chance to because non-experiance in the world has ruined them.

Week 3 Discussion Question: Pughh- This week let's discuss what we think would happen if Morrie had no family, but still had to battle this disease. How would his life be different?

tillm- if morrie had no family and had the disease i think that it would just be to hard on him. to have to go though this on his on would be stressing. morrie life would be diffrent becuse he would just be alone. he would just have a hard time.

Keetchk- I think that Morrie would have a tough time fighting the disease if he didn't have his family there to help him. As he says in the book, he'd be all alone and life would be very depressing on top of the stressing fact that he is dying from a relentless disease. He probably wouldn't have been able to live as long without having someone always there looking out for him and loving him. I know if I was dying from a disease I'd want my family and friends by my side 24/7, to make the little time I had left with them last as long as possible. Pughh- I agree with Krista I think that Morrie would have a tough time fighting his disease without family. Not only would Morrie be alone he would be very depressed. Could you imagine sitting by yourself day after lonely day fighting this disease with no one to talk to and no one there for you. At this point in time I am sure Morrie would not want to be alone, in fact I am sure that he would want his family to be there for him the most when he is feeling at his worst. I know myself that I wouldn't be able to take on a disease like ALS be myself. I wouldn't want to be alone while the disease slowly took over my body. I would want someone there to keep me company and keep my mind off my sickness.

r97- I think it would be very hard for Morrie to go through daily life, as hard as it already is, to live on and fight the disease without a family or friends. In a way i think that he thinks that way about it to because, he is losing the battle against ALS and without support he could die even sooner

Nicollp- I think he would be taking it so much because he would not have anyone to share his burdon with. But he would probably still be sometimes like when him and Mitch are talking, and when is looking outside at that. Also when hes thinking back of all those amazing years he spent teaching university and touching so many lives.

Pughh- I also agree with Patrick and Ryan because yes without the support he probably would die sooner and yes I think that he would miss talking about his younger more healthy years. Basically now at this point in time thats all Morrie has left. Every tuesday when Mitch comes to visit that is what Morrie is living for because without Mitch and without Charlotte he would have nothing. I think Morrie was very lucky to have Charlotte and Mitch by his side because without them his life would be empty. Mitch takes his mind off of his sickness by visiting and although week by week Mitch realizes that it could be his final moments with Morrie he treasures them like a precious jewel. Yes I do think that living life without a family or friends would be extremely difficult. But I am lucky to share my life with my friends that are close and my family that cares about me because without them I would have nothing to live for. <3

Keetchk- I am also very blessed with loving friends and family. I have been going through a hard time in my life right now and my friends and family have both been there for me the whole way through. I never knew that I had so many caring people in my life before now, and how much they really cared. If it wasn't for people like Holly I would have been dead by now. Literally. So I cannot imagine what would happen to a person if they had to fight a disease with no one there for them. I know I could never do it, just like I wouldn't be able to live without my little gaurdian angel, Holly <3

Week 2 Discussion Question:**
 * Keetchk- This week let's discuss what we think it would be like living with ALS. What we think it would be like to be eventually trapped in your own body.

tillm- i don't think i could stand living with it .if i had ALS i have no idea what i would do. it would probly be very hard for me and stressing. but i would try to do as much as i could and have as much fun. r97- I dont think i could stand living like Morrie does with the disease ALS. It must be almost impossible to keep moving forward when there is not much more to look forward to in life. In this case if it was me, I would not know who could ever love me and I would have no hope left in a lifetime. For Morrie to be able to keep going even in the state he is in, is one of the most courageous things i can think of.

Keetchk- I think I'd definitely try to do things that i hadn't done that i wanted to accomplish before I died. But it would be very depressing becauase there would be no way to accomplish it all. I going for walks and swimming and other physical activities. I think I'd be dead inside much before my life actually ended. Pughh- I agree with all of you. Yes it would be difficult to live with ALS and yes you should try to do as much as you can before the disease takes over your body. But I think it would be really hard for me to let someone come in and take care of me because I am no longer able to do it myself. At first I think it would be akward but after awhile I am sure I would have to get used to it. I think to be honest that being stuck inside and trapped in your own body would be kind of sad. I think I would lose all emotions and be upset all the time. The thought of being trapped in your own body sounds scary like you could feel everything thats going on throughout your body. Anyways I would definitely not like to ALS because I would be terrified.

Keetchk- I totally agree with you Holly. I would be terrified as well. In fact, I'd probably commit suicide before the disease infected me too much. I know that would be hard on my family and friends, but I'd still do it. But then again, I hate seeing my loved ones suffer, and by commiting suicide, I wouldn't have to put my loved ones through that. I don't think having someone help you do SOME things would be awkward, but things like what Morrie was talking about wiping his butt, would definitely be awkward. In fact it would probably be down right painful.

Pughh- I would definitely consider commiting suicide but like you said Krista I would hate seeing my family and friends be upset. And thats something thats hard to get over and from experience with the family at the moment in time I am sure that even if I had ALS they wouldn't want that to happen. Not saying that on a regular basis they wouldn't care but I m sure that they don't need the extra grief at the moment in time. But yes life with this disease would be hard to live with and yes wiping someones butt would be akward for the person doing it and the person that its happening to. Yes I also agree that it would be down right painful. NicollP- I agree with everything that has been said. It would really suck to see your family upset because of something thats happening to you. Before I die I would want to do everything I would be able to think just to be able to keep my mind off the thought that im going to die in a couple of months. If i where not able to keep myself distracted i would probably shhot my self in the face because i would be going crazy over what is going to happen after I die

Week 1 Discussion** **Question: Nicollp- give a short summary of the first three chapters and how would you feel if someone you were good friends with was dying of cancer or ALS??

Pughh- Well Morrie and Mitch were good friends back in college I cant believe it took sixteen years for Mitch to go and see Morrie. You would think that after all went on throughout there friendship Mitch would have gone to see Morrie. Sadly I don't have to imagine how it feels to know that someone you were good friends with was dying because its happening in my life currently. Its a really hard part of life but sadly its bound to happen.

Keetchk- Well it seems to me that Mitch was very attached to Morrie, but had no idea how much Morrie was attached to him. By the way Morrie was crying when Mitch was leaving school, he would miss him terribly. It disgusts me that Mitch promised to stay in touch but didn't for sixteen years. That happens alot in life though I guess, even though it really shouldn't. Like Holly, I don't have to imagine what it's like to see someone you love dying. I have lost many, many... too many... family members to cancer and other diseases. It's such a helpless feeling seeing someone you love in pain, trying to live the last of something that isn't really life anymore. My grandmother right now is dying of demensha, and I hate knowing that there is nothing I can do to save her. And at this very moment my grandfather is sitting in a hospital bed in Halifax waiting to have major surgery. You could say my family's not doing so hot right now, so I think I know how Mitch must be feeling in the book.

tillm - morrie has found out that he has a disease named ALS, and that he has not much time to life. Mitch is morrie student and after a long time he comes back to vist. last year my cousin named jennifer trial died of a heart problem and i was very close to her. jennifer was only 20 years old and she died 2 weeks after her birthday. I also lost my great grandmother about 5 years ago and she was also very close to me. she had died of cance

NicollP- Mitch and morrie where very good friends when mitch was in university. But when Mitch left university he did not keep most of his promises and he also did things that he said he would never do. Such as never work for money, never work for a major companyand he promosed morrie that he would keep in touch with him. My great grandmother, grandfather, great aunt on my mothers side of the family, and 4 of the 5 greataunts and uncles on my Fathers side have either had a stroke, heartattack or cancer and almost all of them i was extremely close to so i can understand what Mitch is going through and i can somewhat relate to him.

Keetchk- It seems to me that most people are touched at least once by a fatal, or could be fatal disease, in their lifetime. Even if they aren't the one suffering the disease but are effected by it because a family member is battling a disease. Sadly this is a part of life. Which really sucks! I think I'd actually rather be the one dying, and not have to watch someone else go through it and have to live without them afterwards. Death is nothing to be afraid of, but watching someone you love die is. Pughh- I agree with all of the above. Death is hard and you shouldn't be afraid of it. But I also agree that watching someone you love slowly dying. Its a painful process and the grieving process is a much longer bit of life that sucks the most. Although dying is a part of life you have to think of all the great times that you have shared with that person. Thinking positively is the way to go. Crying can be for many things most of all death some people cry because they think its their fault and some people cry because all the time that could have been spent with each other. I love how in the book Mitch talks about Morrie's hard times and then at the begining of the next chapter he returns into the past and talks about the positive times that he and Morrie had together. For anyone who is in pain about any of their family members I feel for them and I hope for the best. After my previous addition to the blog my mom told me that our family friend has three weeks to three months to live. I cried for many long hours and I can only hope for the best and think of all the good memories we shared and the happy times we had in life. I know that life is hard and sometimes it can be difficult but you have to think of the people around you and your family and be thankful that you actually have someone to love and talk to. Always remember tommorow is a new day!

tillm- Death is just one thing that everyone has to go though and we don't have to be afraid. Every day someone dies of an disease. but we can also remember that we can have a second chance sometimes. i have had a lot of loved ones that have passed and someday we will be able to see them again. Morrie should not be afraid. r97- It is not fair when someone you love or care about dies. But that is not a reason to be afraid. Death is natural like breathing, everyone does it. I personally am not afraid of death but i would be sad about what my family would go through without me. Like morrie my grandfather died. It might not have been the way he wanted to die, but he lived a good, wealthy and well deserved life. **