The Wisdom of Morrie: Living and Aging Creatively & Joyfully

In this sage posthumous treatise, Schwartz (Morrie in His Own Words), the subject of Tuesdays with Morrie who died in 1995, explores the art of aging well. His son, Rob Schwartz, later found the manuscript for this book in his father’s desk drawer, and was taken by the meditation on “living... with greater joy” in one’s later years and by his father’s reflections on his 40-year career as a sociology professor. Getting older, Schwartz explains, can allow for growth, increased self-knowledge, and the achievement of long-held goals. After acknowledging ageism, Schwartz encourages readers to approach age-related challenges—illnesses, general decline, the fear of death—with healthy acceptance. He outlines suggestions for living well as an older adult, among them pursuing hobbies and committing to a cause that one is passionate about. It’s also important, he writes, to cultivate a “kind heart” and to not neglect one’s spiritually, which can entail meditating or deepening one’s personal relationship with God. In the end, Schwartz posits, “aging is not a problem we need to solve, but a stage in life to be lived well,” and the insight and non-sugar-coated wisdom he deploys make that point difficult to refute. Not only those over the hill will want to take a look. (Apr.)