Tuesdays with Morie - a story about guilt
The only dialogue I could remember: Mitch: “What’s the point of loving?” Morie: “There’s no point in loving, because loving is the point!”
Mitch is the long lost student who promised his sociology teacher Morie to get in touch after graduation, but never did. He was reminded of his promise many years after when a flashed news featured the aging teacher. So he decided to pay him a visit, and that first visit became a regular one: weekly, every Tuesday. He even caught himself giving in to all of his formers’ teachers requests.
When Morie died, Mitch cried, as expected, a stage drama cliche.. But there’s more to it than what meets the eye, guilt.
Let me end that story with another story.
There’s a favorite German story which was shared on that meeting among Hitler’s advisers when they decided the genocide against the 12 million jews: fortunately they missed 50% off target, yet still 6 million lives is still six million human lives.
Anyway, the story:
The general narrated, “There’s a boy who was raised by his mother, grew up with full of anger and hatred of his father who abandoned them in his childhood. When his mother died, he never shed a tear. Years after his mother was gone, a news reached him about his father’s death. For being the only surviving relative, he was left with no choice. On the funeral he could not contain himself. He’s missing his father and he shed tears like no other, and cried like he never cried before. ”
The other officers were asking, “Why? Ironic, isn’t it?” The general continued, “…because all the boys life he filled his heart with anger and hatred, and his father’s death empty his heart out. He simply misses him. ” The general concluded: ” Let’s be sure that this hatred against the Jews did not fill our hearts, for when they are gone, we would all miss them!.”
Mitch, filled his heart with guilt that’s why he could not say no to the dying teacher’s whims. He thought that he could payback those lost years by giving in to all his cravings. But the teacher’s death came earlier, and earlier than he could empty his heart with what’s filling it.
Tats is the 7th son. Bro. Ben, my father, walked miles, visiting prison cells looking for me at the height of the people's uprising against the Marcos Dictatorship in the 80's.
©2008 RedobleFamily.com | Read articles written by Tats
Tats, ironically, I’ve had that book for the past 4 years. I had often contemplated opening it (after reading all of the rave reviews from critics), but I had never gotten past its thin cover. I’ve been forewarned of the onslaught of emotions one experiences while reading Tuesdays with Morrie, and I guess I felt that I wasn’t up to the challenge. Plus, I have issues, too, you know. Bwahahahaha. And then I somehow forgot about the book. When I moved out of the condo, I dumped it in one of those boxes, you see. Thanks for reminding me that I still have it here somewhere. Unless Xyzha/Fruhlein swiped it from my shelf (only my Gaiman collection is closely guarded ~ the rest is free for all, as those kids know very well), I now have something to read on the plane to manila.
That is, if I don’t chicken out. Harharhar. Thanks for this, Tats! Wonderful post! 
4 February 2008 at 10:54 am