The fourth Tuesday we talk about death

In Detroit, the newspaper strikes continue, and Mitch remains out of

work. On his fourth Tuesday visit with Morrie, they talked about death.
Morrie notes that people recognize they are going to die but do not believe
it. He also uncovers that it is just once an individual knows how to bite the
dust only then they would realize how to live. Mitch asks him how one can
be prepared to die. Morrie replies with a Buddhist philosophy that every
day, one must ask the bird on their shoulders if that day is the day they will
die. The bird itself is indicative of Morrie's mindfulness that his death is
fast approaching.
Morrie says that understanding the imminence of death is realizing
what is necessary because you view your life in a completely different
light. Morrie also tells Mitch that if he accepts death, Mitch may not remain
as ambitious as he is now, as Mitch will see that he must spend time upon
what is meaningful to him and not working and chasing money.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Indecipherable - not able to be read or understood.

The kids hand-writing was indecipherable,

Solidarity – a unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest;
mutual support within a group.

Factory workers voiced solidarity with the striking students.

Agnostic - a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.

Due to his life experiences, he claims to be agnostic.

Mutt – is a dog that doesn't belong to any particular breed,

He does not go with the norms and considered a mutt.

Transcend - be or go beyond the range or limits of something abstract.

He doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare.

 THE FIFTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT FAMILY
In this chapter, in addition to his teachings on rejecting cultural
norms and development, Morrie's most important lesson is that love is
essential for fulfillment and happiness. Love is the most powerful thing one
can offer, especially a family's love. He then quotes Auden, his favorite
poet, who said, "Love or perish." Mitch writes this down. There is a
distinction that Morrie makes between family and friends. Flesh and blood,
he says, are there for you always, as you are intrinsically tied to them. By
the end of the day, it is family that makes a house a home. Friends, he
claims, are not as stable, not as secure.
Morrie asks Mitch regarding his own family, who he had met at his
college graduation. Mitch has an older sister and a younger brother. At the
thought of his younger brother, Mitch is quiet. He reveals in the book that
his brother, who had relocated to Europe soon after his graduation from
high school, has separated himself from the family, as he does not want any
help from them in his battle with pancreatic cancer. Mitch could not help
but feel a sense of sadness when he realizes the far distance he and his
brother have.
UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Lavaliere - small wired microphones.

The broadcasters used a lavaliere to deliver their news.

Perish - suffer death, typically in a violent, sudden, or untimely way.

A great part of his army perished of hunger and disease.

Instamatic - snapshot camera.

The photographer used an instamatic to capture photos.

Gaunt - (of a person) lean and haggard, especially because of suffering, hunger, or age.

She is a tall, gaunt women.

Parkas – a large windproof jacket with a hood, designed to be worn in cold weather.

He pulled on his fur-lined parka, ready to brave the elements.

THE SIXTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT EMOTIONS
On Mitch's sixth Tuesday visit, he noticed that Morrie's condition
had been decreasing rapidly, and now home health care workers are
working 24-hour shifts to care for him. When the two men finally sat down,
Morrie was coughing more than usual it seemed worse. Morrie told Mitch
that he was detaching himself. In telling Mitch that he should begin
"detaching" himself from his experiences, Morrie does not intend for Mitch
to stop feeling emotions or experiencing. Instead, he wants Mitch to realize
that time is passing, as is life itself, a prevailing message Morrie addresses
throughout the book. I learned from this chapter that it is okay to feel and
let out your emotions. Let it all out until there is nothing left. Once you
finally unwrap these emotions, learn how to let it go and never let it get the
best of you because there is more to life.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Phlegm - thick viscous substance secreted by the mucous membranes of the respiratory passages, especially
when produced in excessive or abnormal quantities

He could hardly breath because of his bad phlegm.

Tramping - the recreational activity of going for long-distance walks in rough country.

He likes tramping on a sunny day.

Penetrates - succeed in forcing a way into or through

The drill penetrates through the wall.

Entails - involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.

He was in a situation with considerable risks.

Gazelle - a small slender antelope that typically has curved horns and a yellowish-brown coat with white
underparts, found in open country in Africa and Asia.

He watched as the gazelle gracefully runs,

 THE PROFESSOR, PART TWO
In the secondary part of The Professor, Morrie is portrayed as
exceptionally liberal for his time and for his age. He contributes to finding
peace in any situation. His open-mindedness is what draws people to like
him. We learned this when Morrie, in his early fifties, decided to work in a
mental institution and observe patients where, as a further showing of his
liberal qualities, violates the rules and befriends the most difficult patients,
each of whom responds to Morrie more than they do their doctors and
psychiatrists.

When Morrie started working at Brandeis University, he protested

with the students to help them with their beliefs and rights. Morrie remains
very progressively-minded even in his old age, and frequently tells Mitch
that he and everyone else are continually changing form; his self is in
continuous transition, despite his age. It is never too late, he says, to
change.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Deceptively - in a way or to an extent that gives a misleading impression; to a lesser or greater extent than
appears the case.

The idea was deceptively simple.

Plowing – fail

He decided to work at a restaurant after plowing his examination.

Intravenously - situated, performed, or occurring within or entering by way of a vein.

The patients who refuse to eat were fed intravenously.

Radical - advocating or based on thorough or complete political or social change; representing or supporting
an extreme or progressive section of a political party.
Morrie had many radical students,

Deferments - the act of delaying or postponing specifically

The failing students were thrown into deferment.

THE SEVENTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT THE

FEAR OF AGING
On his seventh Tuesday trip to Morrie's home, Mitch notices the
beautiful, young people on every billboard he passes. As he nears forty,
Mitch is already feeling "over the hill" and tries frantically to stay
youthful. He works out obsessively, eats healthy foods, and checks his
hairline daily, indicating that he was insecure about his age. On the other
hand, Morrie thinks that being young is not as beautiful as the culture
depicts it. He informs Mitch that not only do young people undergo very
substantial difficulties, but they also do not have the wisdom of age to
deal with them.
Morrie's lesson about "detachment" was once again brought up
when Mitch asked him about his thoughts about aging, asking if he felt
fear. He answered that he feels the fear and then let it go. Morrie also said
that there's no reason for him to envy the youth. Morrie has breathed
through every age up to his own he is, therefore, a part of each of them.
How can he be envious of his age when he has already lived through it?

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Commode – a piece of furniture containing a concealed chamber pot.

Due to his illness, he now uses a commode chair.

Inclination – a person's natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way; a disposition or
propensity.

John was a scientist by training and inclination.

Revel – enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing.
Instead of sulking about his dependency, he revel in it.

Sultry – attractive in a way that suggests a passionate nature.

She is a sultry-looking woman.

Oblivion – the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening.

They drank themselves into oblivion.

THE EIGHTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT MONEY

On his eighth Tuesday visit, Mitch learned a great lesson about

love. Morrie had taught Mitch that love is of greater value than material
goods. He says that people treat these things as a substitute because of the
emptiness that they felt. But, as Morrie stated in the book, you can’t
substitute material things for love or gentleness or tenderness or a sense of
comradeship. You may feel a sense of joy but, you cannot feel fulfillment.

Morrie also taught Mitch that a way to feel satisfaction is by giving

others what you can offer, by helping those in need. It does not have to be
purely about money or any material things. You can help others by giving
them love and time.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Fogged – bewilder or puzzle (someone).

Her brain is fogged with confusion.

Gobble – use a large amount of (something) very quickly.

People nowadays are greedy and wants to gobble unnecessary material goods.

Commercialism – emphasis on the maximizing of profit.

There is an issue about creeping commercialisms in schools.

Depleting – use up the supply or resources of.

Reservoirs have been depleted by years of drought

Inconsequential – not important or significant.

They talked about inconsequential things.

THE NINTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT HOW

LOVE GOES ON

In his ninth Tuesday visit, Mitch noticed how Morrie's condition has
progressively worsened. He now had to use a catheter and had almost
taken the form of his chair because of his inability to stand. Mitch
confessed that he tried to reach out to his younger brother, and he wished
that they would talk, but his wish was declined by his brother, who does
not want to talk about his disease.

Mitch had asked Morrie if he felt any fear of being forgotten after
he had passed. Morrie replies that he has no fear of being forgotten, as he
is alive in the memory of those who love him. The Turner quote is used to
reveal Morrie's connection between love and staying alive in the memory
of others.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Stagnated – cease to flow or move; become stagnant.

The labor war had stagnated.

Pilgrimage – a pilgrim's journey.

He wanted to go on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Philosophical – relating or devoted to the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and
existence.
They had a philosophical discussion about free will.

Fatigued – cause (someone) to feel tired or exhausted.

They were fatigued by their journey.

Quilt – a warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines
of stitching, typically applied in a decorative design.

They gave him a quilt for warmth.

THE TENTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT

MARRIAGE

In this chapter, M-orrie had a lesson about marriage. I learned that

marriage is not something to be taken lightly. It requires proper
knowledge. Before committing to marriage, we must know how to respect
the other person, learn how to speak about our feelings, know how to
compromise, and most importantly, our values must be alike.

Personally, my thoughts about marriage are not that great because

as Mitch asserted in the book, almost anyone he knew had a problem with
it, whether they had a problem getting in or out of marriage, or they are
not yet ready to commit. After I read this chapter, I realized that there's
nothing to fear, as long as we know how to respect and love one another,
nothing could go wrong.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Intuitive - having the ability to know or understand things without any proof or evidence

She is an intuitive person.

Puree - a smooth, creamy substance made of liquidized or crushed fruit or vegetables.

He decided to puree the tomatoes.

Murky - (of liquid) dark and dirty; not clear.

They avoided the murky silt of a muddy pond

Labored - done with great effort and difficulty.

H is breathing was becoming less labored.

Quiver - tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion.

The tree's branches stopped quivering.

THE ELEVENTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT OUR

CULTURE

I learned a great deal from this chapter. When Morrie said that
"People are only mean when they are threatened." I realized that no one is
either good or bad, but the circumstances make them so. That is what our
culture and economy do. This is the reason why Morrie decided to build
his own culture and not follow the norms. It does not mean he disregards
every rule of our economy, but he neglects those rules that are not
conducive to his needs. Morrie also had a lesson about equality. He said
we go through the same cycle of life. So, how different can we be? Maybe
if we have unity, make peace, and give love to one another, the world
would be a much better place.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Alabaster - is a pale mineral that's soft enough for carving.

Sunshine filtered through alabaster blinds on a hospital window.

Calisthenics - are exercises that don't rely on anything but a person's own body weight.

Calisthenics can improve muscle and cardiovascular endurance.

Congestion - the state of being congested.

The new bridge should ease congestion in the area.

Foreman - a worker, especially a man, who supervises and directs other workers

His father is a successful foreman.

Triumphant - having won a battle or contest; victorious.

He read a comic fairy tale about innocence triumphant.

THE AUDIOVISUAL, PART THREE

Ted Koppel and his crew arrived for Morrie's third and what seems
to be his last interview. Mitch feels like it is more like a solemn farewell.
Morrie, who always has humorous responses up his sleeves, could not
even answer the questions because he struggled with breathing and
speaking. Morrie says that he does not want to die in such a horrible state.
Instead, he would like to pass in a serene and peaceful state. Morrie
admits that he is gradually letting go of the outside world and relays his
newest aphorisms "Do not let go too soon, but do not hang on too long."

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Tenor - a singing voice between baritone and alto or countertenor, the highest of the ordinary adult male
range.

He was a singer with a tenor voice.

Stoic - a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.

His father was a man with a stoic face.

Coaxed - gently and persistently persuade (someone) to do something.

The trainees were coaxed into doing boring work

Condemned - express complete disapproval of, typically in public; censure.

Fair-minded people declined to condemn her on mere suspicion

Mantra - a motivating chant.

He repeats his mantra over and over again.

THE TWELFTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT

FORGIVENESS

As Mitch massages Morrie's aching feet, they discuss the

pointlessness of revenge and the importance of forgiveness. If you do not
learn how to forgive, it can lead to regrets sooner or later. Morrie admits
he regrets his past when he was still prideful and did not forgive his old
friend, Norman, who later on died of cancer. He regrets that they were not
able to reconcile before Norman passed. Morrie accentuates that it is
important to forgive oneself, just as it is vital to forgive others. Instead of
carrying your mistakes around with you and being hard on yourself about
it, place your mistakes beneath your feet and use them as stepping stones
to rise above them.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Vengeance - punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.

Voters are ready to wreak vengeance on all politicians.

Vanity - inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance

She was too deep into her vanity.

Patriarch - the male head of a family or tribe.

His great-grandfather was the patriarch of their family.

Estranged - (of a person) no longer close or affectionate to someone; alienated.

She felt estranged from her daughter more than ever.

Whimsical - playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way.

She has whimsical sense of humor.

THE THIRTEENTH TUESDAY WE TALK ABOUT

THE PERFECT DAY

On Mitch's thirteenth Tuesday visit, Morrie describes to him a

severe coughing spell he had undergone the night before. He explains that
he discovered peace in those terrifying moments when he was ready to
accept his death. He focuses on that while we are alive, we should "make
peace" with the truth of passing on. Dying is natural. Everyone that is
born into this world experiences it. Morrie mentioned his lesson about the
fear of being forgotten and notes that one cannot completely fade away or
be disremembered because through our loved ones and the memories that
we share in this world, we would continue to live on with those memories.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Chute - a sloping channel or slide for conveying things to a lower level.

Cements were loaded onto barges via chute.

Fatigued - cause (someone) to feel tired or exhausted.

They were fatigued by their journey.

Hullabaloo - a commotion; a fuss.

They caused a hullabaloo over a petty fight.

Romp - (especially of a child or animal) play roughly and energetically.

The noisy pack of children romped around the garden.

Grim - forbidding or uninviting.

He has a grim expression on his face.

THE FOURTEENTH TUESDAY WE SAY GOODBYE

On Mitch's fourteenth Tuesday visit, Charlotte informed him

that Morrie was not feeling okay, a sign that he had reached his final days.
Once he arrived at Morrie's house, he examined every detail and corner as
if it was his first time seeing it. When Mitch entered Morrie's room, he
saw his professor lying down on his bed, and his aphorism "When you are
in bed, you are dead." echoed through Mitch's head. Morrie could barely
make out words and can only move little to none. But, despite having a
hard time speaking, Morrie gathered all his strength to tell Mitch how
much he means to him. Mitch gives Morrie one last farewell kiss, and
finally, he cries.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Pachysandra - an evergreen creeping shrubby plant of the box family.

His yard are full of pachysandra.

Shrubs - a woody plant which is smaller than a tree and has several main stems arising at or near the
ground.

Shrubs were scattered around the park.

Buoyant - cheerful and optimistic.

She has a buoyant personality.

Hospice - is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and
symptoms

A hospice is taking care of him 24/7.

Fleeting - lasting for a very short time.

His time in this world is fleeting.

GRADUATION

Morrie had died on Saturday morning. 2 days after Mitch's

visit, Morrie slipped into a coma. His sons and relatives were able to visit
him before he passed, but Morrie had waited until they had all gone to the
kitchen for coffee, and he reached his final breath and passed on serenely,
just like how he always wished. Mitch believes Morrie had departed this
way deliberately, as not to scar any of his family members in the way that
he had been scarred by each of his parents' painful departures.

On Morrie's burial, All of Morrie's family and loved ones

gathered to say their goodbyes. Mitch remembers Morrie's advice that he
talk to him at his gravesite, which Mitch does during the funeral. To his
surprise, it feels almost natural. His classes came to an end, and he
graduated on a Tuesday
UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Sequoia – a redwood tree, especially the California redwood.

Yosemite is famous for its giant sequoia trees.

Serenely – in a calm, peaceful, and untroubled manner.

She smiled serenely.

Lapping – project beyond or overlap something.

The water lapped over the edges.

Limp – walk with difficulty, typically because of a damaged or stiff leg or foot.

He was still limp after he accidentally broke his foot.

Polio – is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus.

His body was paralyzed and he was diagnosed with polio.

CONCLUSION

Mitch wanted to talk to his past jaded self and set his priorities
straight. He wanted his old self to visit his old professor before he gets
sick. But, he remembered Morrie's lesson that "Nothing is ever too late."
what is supposed to happen is going to happen. It is also revealed that
Mitch was able to rekindle his relationship with his little brother, Peter.
He informs Peter that he does not want to lose him and that he loves him.
Only days later, he receives a good-humored fax message from Peter.
Mitch reveals that the book itself was mainly Morrie's idea and that he
had even invented the title himself. This is why we are able to read a book
about an old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson.

UNFAMILIAR WORDS
Lure – tempt (a person or animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of
reward.

The child was lured into a car but managed to escape.

Sprawling – spreading out over a large area in an untidy or irregular way.

The sprawling suburbs.

Fax machine – A device that sends and receives printed pages or images over telephone lines.

He sent his brother a letter through a fax machine.

Tush – the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on.

They made fun of him and called him a tush.

Enormous – very large in size, quantity, or extent.

The possibilities are enormous.