"Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel."
About Morrie Schwartz
Morrie Schwartz — Life and Legacy
Morrie Schwartz, a beloved sociology professor at Brandeis University, gained widespread recognition through his poignant reflections on life and death in the memoir 'Tuesdays with Morrie.' His teachings stemmed from his personal battle with ALS, where he shared profound insights that challenged societal norms around success and fulfillment. Morrie's core belief was that love and relationships are the true measures of a meaningful life. He famously stated, 'The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love,' which encapsulates his view that emotional connections are paramount. This perspective not only reflects his own experiences but also serves as a counterpoint to the materialistic values often celebrated in society. Morrie's thoughts on death were equally impactful; he encouraged embracing mortality as a means to live more fully, asserting that 'death should not be embarrassing.' His wisdom continues to resonate, reminding us of the importance of love, forgiveness, and authenticity in our lives.
Quote collection
Morrie Schwartz quotes (page 1 of 4)
62 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."
"You don't understand. You're not a wave. You're part of the ocean."
"The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it."
"The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone - or any society - determine those for you."
"As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on—in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here"
"Although you may be old or sick, it's not too late to take stock and ask yourself if you really are the person you want to be, and if not, who you do want to be."
"Do the kind of things that come from the heart, When you do, you won't be dissatisfied, you won't be envious, you won't be longing for somebody else's things. On the contrary, you'll be overhelmed with what comes back"
"In the beginning of life, when we are infants, we need others to survive. And at the end of life, we need others to survive. But here's the secret, in between, we need others as well."
"Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?"
"It's not too late to develop new friendships or reconnect with people."
"People are only mean when they're threatened… and that's what our culture does. That's what our economy does. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened, because they worry about losing them. And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself. You start making money a god. It is all part of this culture."
"If you don’t have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don’t have much at all."
"We've got a form of brainwashing going on in our country…. Do you know how they brainwash people? They repeat something over and over. And that's what we do in this country. Owning things is good. More money is good. More property is good. More commercialism is good. MORE IS GOOD. MORE IS GOOD. We repeat it--and have it repeated to us--over and over until nobody bothers to even think otherwise. The average person is so fogged up by all this, he has no perspective on what's really important anymore."
"There is no formula to relationships. They have to be negotiated in loving ways, with room for both parties, what they want and what they need, what they can do and what their life is like. In business, people negotiate to win. They negotiate to get what they want. Maybe you’re too used to that. Love is different. Love is when you are as concerned about someone else’s situation as you are about your own."
"After you have wept and grieved for your physical losses, cherish the functions and the life you have left."
"Be compassionate, and take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those lessons, this world would be so much a better place."
"Keep your heart open for as long as you can, as wide as you can, for others and especially for yourself."
"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things."
"For me, living means I can be responsive to the other person. It means I can show my emotions and my feelings. Talk to them. Feel with them."