The GNA Insider asked English teacher Ms. Hyder her thoughts on the book Tuesdays with Morrie, a novel she had tasked her students to read.
I first asked her for a quick synopsis of the book. She replied, “Mitch Albom, a famous sports writer, has grown extremely materialistic and jaded until he sees his old professor from college, Morrie, on an ABC News special. Morrie is dying and believes he has invaluable knowledge on how to die that should be shared with the world. Mitch contacts his favorite old teacher and arranges to meet with him every Tuesday. Mitch records their meetings so that he can keep Morrie’s lessons after he passes, and eventually writes them into a book, Tuesdays with Morrie.”
After giving us a taste of what the book entails, I questioned her on why she chose this book for her students. She explained how she believes that Tuesdays with Morrie teaches us how to live a happy life and be of service to our community, while also learning how to leave a legacy of love for when you go. She then said, “This book is a powerful story of friendship, compassion, and learning it’s never too late to make life what you want it to be.”
When I asked her what this book means to her on an emotional level, she opened up and said, “It’s a gut punch! I think I resonate so strongly with this book because Morrie reminds me of all of the people who have positively affected my life and have helped shape me into who I am today.”
I ended my questions with a final inquiry. Why is it so important to read a book like this? Mrs. Hyder then stated, “This book is a true story, and the lessons put forth in this book can and soon will be applied in our everyday scenarios.” She later went on to say how this book shows us how to live life with purpose and how everything we do has a ripple effect. “The tiniest kindness can mean the world to someone. We just have to remember to try and make that impact as positive as we can.”
