Tuesday’s with Morrie: Why does Mitch struggle with his first meeting?
As an AI language model, I cannot pretend to know the thoughts and the feelings of the character. However, based on my understanding, Mitch struggles with his first meeting with Morrie because he has not seen him for 16 years, and he is overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and regret for not keeping in touch. Additionally, he is dealing with personal issues in his life, such as his failing career, his troubled marriage, and his brother's illness, which make him emotionally vulnerable and unable to connect with Morrie at first.
In the book "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom, Mitch initially struggles with his first meeting with Morrie Schwartz for a few reasons:
1. Emotional Distance: Mitch had not seen his former college professor, Morrie, for nearly 16 years. During this time, Mitch had become wrapped up in his own successful career as a journalist and had lost touch with the people and values that truly mattered. This emotional distance made it difficult for Mitch to reconnect with Morrie on a deeper level.
2. Guilt and Regret: Mitch struggled with immense guilt and regret for neglecting Morrie and not staying in touch with him over the years. He realized that he had missed out on important life lessons and guidance from Morrie that could have significantly impacted his personal and professional growth.
3. Fear of Facing Mortality: Morrie was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which is a progressive and terminal disease. Mitch, like many people, had a fear of facing mortality and the thought of seeing Morrie in this deteriorating condition was overwhelming for him.
4. Awkwardness: Mitch felt a sense of discomfort and awkwardness because he had not seen Morrie in so long and didn't know how to interact with him. He didn't know how to approach the topic of Morrie's illness and was afraid of saying or doing something wrong.
Overall, Mitch's struggle with his first meeting with Morrie stemmed from a combination of emotional distance, guilt, fear of mortality, and awkwardness. However, as the story progresses, Mitch slowly overcomes these struggles and develops a deep and meaningful relationship with Morrie.