Learn How to Die, You Learn How to Live

For nearly 30 years, Morrie Schwartz (1916-1995) taught sociology to students at Brandeis University. He was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 78 and passed away the following year. In the last year of his life, he taught anyone and everyone — family, friends, colleagues, journalists — something even more profound: how to live a meaningful life, and how to die with no regrets. Now he’s best known as the old sage in “Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson”, a book written by his former student, Mitch Albom. Everything that gets born dies,” Morrie said. “The best way to deal with that is to live in a fully conscious, compassionate, loving way…. Don’t wait until you’re on your deathbed to recognize that this is the only way to live.” He and Mitch plan for the book during his dying days, deeming it their "final thesis together." He is also able to reach a vast audience through his interviews with Ted Koppel, which are broadcast nationwide on ABC-TV's "Nightline."

The truth is no one wants to die. And yet death is the destination we all share. It is the opposite side of a coin, just like day vs night, one depends on another. It clears out the old to make way for the new. However, our culture celebrates life much more than understanding death. We tend to think death won’t happen to us, at least not now. We wish this to our loved ones too. We are told as a kid to get a long journey to explore, and a big dream to pursue.

Death strikes us anytime, regardless one is old or young, healthy or sick, rich or poor. Should we know our time is limited, it prompts the urge to appreciate and value what we have only for a limited period of time, and to use every moment of that time doing something that we will not regret and are truly happy.