In the book, Morrie tells Mitch that aging isn't just about decay but about growth as well. He rationalizes his position from a philosophical standpoint: accepting this dual view of aging enables one to live a richer and more satisfying life.
Morrie believes that how he chooses to live determines how he will eventually die. He tells Mitch that young people are not without their own share of challenges in life. It's all a matter of perspective:
All these kids who came to me with their struggles, their strife, their feelings of inadequacy, their sense that life was miserable, so bad they wanted to kill themselves ... And, in addition to all the miseries, the young are not wise. They have very little understanding about life.
Both the old and the young have to overcome their challenges in order to fully appreciate all that life has to offer them. When Mitch argues that no one ever wishes they could be old, Morrie maintains that people who lament old age never learned to discover the true meaning of life. Because of their preoccupation with outward appearances, they lead unsatisfying lives. They envy the vitality of the young and neglect to detach themselves from that envy.
Morrie asserts that there are advantages for those who learn to accept the dawning of old age. They become open to new experiences and so, are able to attain more knowledge and lead more satisfying lives than those who envelop themselves in doubt and anger. Also, Morrie tells Mitch that age is a matter of perspective and that accepting the inevitability of aging is part of acknowledging the decay process of life. Morrie maintains that this mature outlook is the growth that most people never attain because they are too busy lamenting the loss of their youth.
“You have to find what’s good and true and beautiful in your life as it is now. Looking back makes you competitive. And, age is not a competitive issue.”
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