Tuesdays with Morrie: An old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson

by Mitch Albom

“Well, the truth is, if you really listen to that bird on your shoulder, if you accept that you can die at any time—then you might not be as ambitious as you are.” I forced a small grin. “The things you spend so much time on—all this work you do—might not seem as important. You might have to make room for some more spiritual things.” Spiritual things? “You hate that word, don’t you? ‘Spiritual.’ You think it’s touchy-feely stuff.” Well, I said. He tried to wink, a bad try, and I broke down and laughed. “Mitch,” he said, laughing along, “even I don’t know what ‘spiritual development’ really means. But I do know we’re deficient in some way. We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don’t satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.” He nodded toward the window with the sunshine streaming in. “You see that? You can go out there, outside, anytime. You can run up and down the block and go crazy. I can’t do that. I can’t go out. I can’t run. I can’t be out there without fear of getting sick. But you know what? I appreciate that window more than you do.”