.png)
By Luke Taylor
“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time because when you give your time,
you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.” - Morrie Schwartz
“Tuesdays with Morrie” is a novel written by sports journalist Mitch Albom detailing his
weekly interactions with his old philosophy professor, Morrie Schwartz, in which they discussed
the meaning of life. This was a practice they maintained while Mr. Albom was an undergraduate
student but fell off immediately after graduating. However, Albom hears of his professor’s fatal
diagnosis and reaches out to his former mentor, agreeing to meet every Tuesday for fourteen
weeks for a few final lessons.
I discovered this gem looking for a vacation read, tucked away on the bottom shelf of a
Goodwill. Little did I know that it would not only become my favorite book, but the only one I
have ever reread. This book has brought me to tears, provoked belly-laughs, and changed my
worldview all in the span of a page. It also encouraged me to pick up another of Albom’s novels
titled “Finding Chika,” which has convinced me to adopt when the time is right.
“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out Love, and how to let it
come in. We think we don’t deserve Love. We think, if we let it in, we’ll become too weak.”
Every time I read this, I get goosebumps and think of a new person I could Love just a
little bit more. Because of this quote alone, I have adopted the mentality of never holding back a
compliment. If the receiver takes a genuine compliment negatively, that’s an internal conflict of
their own to work out and I shouldn’t think anything of it. Among other lessons, Morrie advises
the reader on how to make the most of their short time in this world, particularly emphasizing
love, describing it as the “only rational act.”
While Morrie and Albom chose to share their Love and time with one another on
Tuesdays, I prefer a calm Sunday. Sundays have always been a peak day of socializing for me
but socializing with a chosen group. Before college, my Sundays looked like volunteering and
sitting in service with my high school youth group which just so happened to include my main
friend group. Lunch after church was a must, and naturally we would end up at Target or
someone’s basement or living room. I wouldn’t say I found God or the meaning of life, as broad
as those are, in the pastor’s sermons, but more so in the Love I could give to and receive from
these friends.
This dynamic has somewhat shifted after studying at UofL. I wouldn’t describe my main
friend group being based around a religious organization, but more so a shared set of living
values. More often than not, I dedicate each Sunday to my fraternity. This looks different each Sunday
but has appeared as church hopping with a close friend, assisting at a philanthropy event, or attending a
much-anticipated chapter meeting. As Morrie predicted, it is on these Sundays that I feel the most loved
because I have the capacity to choose to give my time and love freely.
Luke Taylor is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2027. He is studying biology and political science on a pre-dental track.