Morrie's Aphorisms

In the book Tuesdays with Morrie a man named Morrie explains some of his concepts of life as he is dying. "Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do." was one of his aphorisms. This aphorism has to deal with ability. So many people in the world today are focused on what other peoples abilities are and make competion over everything. I think Morrie is trying to express that people  should try and accept themselves. By accepting yourself you don't feel the pressures of others around you and can become a happier person.  "Learn to forgive yourselfs, and others." In our culture I believe that forgiveness is almost extinct. People hold grudges and hate and stay bitter. Its become easier to hate than to love and its become easier to hold grudges than to forgive. Personally holding grudges exhuast me and I don't have a good enough memory to remember why I'm mad at someone in the first place and by the time I remember again it doesn't matter. Im grateful for my memory or lackthereof because it makes it easy for me to forgive. "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live." My Uncle Joe passed away the day after my birthday on August 24th 2012. I was crushed. Similar to the circumstances that Morriehad after learning that he had ALS the day was bright and sunny, people laughed and carried on with meaningless fights and drama and I finished the school day feeling horrible. I was amazed that people could go on like nothing mattered when in reality nothing did. After attending his funeral I realized that life doesn't stop for anyone except the person who died. A harsh reality but true. The world dosn't care that you lost a family member but if you care then you find ways of keeping that person alive. The priest at his funeral said that we can keep Joe's spirit alive on earth by portraying his values. He was a guy who had a great sense of humor. He loved to laugh and cared about his family. He loved all of his students and worked hard to make people happy. People like that need to stay on this world and it got me thinking, "If I die tonight, how I be remebered by my family, friends, and coworkers? What will they tell the people that never knew me what I was like? Will i remembered as a guy who put his neck on the line for the people he loved? Would I be remebered as the guy who would drop everything for his loved ones even when it wasn't nessecarry? Or will I be known as the guy who was selfish and a coward? Would I be remebered as the guy who was a liar and a cheat?" In realizing this I realized that legacys will last forever. If you realize how you want to be remembered when you die you will live the way you are supposed to live.