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Portfolios

Memento Morrie
Images of Love and Loss

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44 duotone photographs 
7 aphorisms 
4 essays

Rob Schwartz

Rob Schwartz author photo

entrepreneur, writer, music & film producer and son of Morrie Schwartz

'The Wisdom of Morrie,' published 2023 by Blackstone and edited by Rob Schwartz is on shelves now.

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Dr Stanley Appel

Stanley H Appel M.D. author photo

internationally renowned researcher, neurologist and expert on ALS. 

Dr Appel is creator  and director of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute's MDA/ALSA ALS Research and Clinical Center in Houston.

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Anita Hannig, PhD

Anita Hannig author photo ©David Neff

 author of The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America, a finalist for the Oregon Book Awards.

 A leading voice on death literacy and former Brandeis University Associate Professor, Anita Hannig will publish My Death Diary: A Guided Journal for Mortals in 2024.   

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Richard Harris

Richard Harris author photo

award-winning television, radio, print, digital and film journalist

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Consultant to the nonprofit iCivics, former producer of " NPR's "All Things Considered" and former senior producer of "ABC News Nightline with Ted Koppel.”  

Exhibition at Brandeis (Sept. 1995)
Exhibition at Marblehead Arts Association (Sept. 2024)
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Facing my own fears of  death - my Brandeis University professor introduced the class to Morrie Schwartz’s now famous aphorisms.  All these years later, they resonate deeply as life revelations arise.  Morrie was learning  to live fully while he was losing vital functions due to ALS.  Giving is living, he patiently explained to the many friends who regularly visited.

 We collaborated on an exhibition that paired Morrie's aphorisms with my photographs documenting themes of community, family, friends, caregiving, self-care, spirituality, death and beyond.  As part of my agreement with Morrie, our exhibition, 'Living While Dying' was shown before he died.    

“Death ends a life, not a relationship,” Morrie said. He enjoyed the idea of people coming to visit his grave on a peaceful hill overlooking a pond - “You talk and I’ll listen.”  Morrie showed me another way to face death and, in the process, live my life well.

Mitch Albom was Morrie's student at Brandeis University.  Mitch took every course that Morrie offered during his time as an undergrad.  'We're Tuesday People' Morrie explained to Mitch as they met on 14 Tuesdays in 1995.

Morrie and Mitch Albom hold hards


selected works
from

Memento Morrie
book, exhibitions & events

 

photo of Morrie Schwartz © Heather Pillar

Morrie's friends and colleagues at Brandeis University arranged a 'Living Memorial" to celebrate Morrie's life while he was living. 
Morrie loved this image - its the first one I made of him- and displayed it prominently.

Shula Reinharz relates a story at Morrie's Living Memorial at Brandeis University
BUILDING A CARING COMMUNITY
Shula - Morrie's hands
00:00 / 01:08
Shula -Unconditional Love
00:00 / 02:41

Shula (Shulamit) Reinharz, Brandeis University, Jacob Potofsky Professor of Sociology Emerita  with Morrie at his "Living Memorial."

Morrie and Charlie, friends and colleagues for 25 years, share a laugh
FRIENDS
Charlie Derber (2 min audio)
00:00 / 01:50

Sociology professors Charlie Derber and Morrie Schwartz have been friends for over 25 years. Morrie believed in seeking out people who touch your heart and investing time and effort in those friendships as frequently as possible.

Thursdays with Jeannie (1 min audio)

In the late 70's and early 80's, Jeannie Lindheim and Morrie were good friends from being in the same groups.  Then, 15 years passed.  When Jeannie read the Boston Globe article "A Professor's Last Lesson: His Own Death" about her friend, she called him immediately.  Delighted to hear from her, Morrie asked if she could come over and she did that very day- a Thursday.  It was as if almost no time had passed; they laughed and cried (mostly laughed) almost every Thursday for the next six months.  

Morrie's friend Jeannie visits on Thursdays and sit at the kitchen table
CAREGIVING
Caregiver Bertha helps to life Morrie Schwartz
Caregiver Bertha and Morrie Schwartz
Morrie Schwartz and caregiver Bertha appear to hug while Morrie is seated in a wheelchair

Don't stay preoccupied with your body or your illness. Recognize that your body is not your total self, only a part of it.        
                                                  aphorism by  Morrie Schwartz

SELF-CARE

'Be loving, compassionate, and gentle toward yourself.  Befriend yourself. Do not put yourself down or criticize yourself continuously.        
                                                  aphorism by  Morrie Schwartz

Morrie is relaxed and content with the moment
FAMILY
Rob Schwartz (1min30sec audio)
00:00 / 01:34

Morrie's son Rob gives his father one of the many kisses as they spend time together during the last months of Morrie's illness.

Morrie and Rob Schwartz share a tender kiss
Morrie Schwartz meditating with his teacher
SPIRITUALITY

Narayan, Morrie's meditation teacher suggested that the leap between life and death may not be a wide chasm, but instead - maybe there is a little bridge.

Morrie Schwartz looking up to the heavens

Morrie passed peacefully on November 4, 1995.  His family had stepped out of the room and he died at home, as he wanted.  

It was a cold, grey day.  It felt appropriate for the feelings of all the lives Morrie touched.  However, we knew that the sun will shine again and life goes on and we are all a little wiser for knowing this professor who lived with love and died with dignity.

Rob Schwartz, Morrie's son,  places stones on the grave according to Jewish tradition

IN DEATH AND BEYOND

In May 1996, Rob visits Morrie's gravesite after the stone is installed. 
According to Jewish tradition, while flowers may be a good metaphor for the brevity of life, stones seem better suited to the permanence of memory.

Morrie's widow Charlotte lived a long and productive life, dying peacefully at the age of 98.  Morrie and Charlotte are together again.

The gravestone of Morrie Schwartz and Charlotte Green Schwartz

I visited Morrie and Charlotte in July 2022 after the gravestone was installed.  Morrie would say that when coming to visit him - "you talk and I'll listen."

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I talked about how our six month collaborative photography project affected me.  I try to be kind to myself and others as we all grapple with matters of love & loss.

The gravestone of Morrie Schwartz and his wife
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