Mitch Albom and the Human Condition
Editor’s Note: The Views expressed in this article are those of the author
“All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.”
– Mitch Albom
A quote of self-reflection from the king of “the human condition” himself, Mitch Albom. Of his vast array of books so far, I’ve had the pleasure of reading five: “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” “The next person you meet in Heaven,” “For One More Day,” “Have a Little Faith” and most recently “Tuesdays with Morrie.” One thing that carries an allure in all of these books is his ability to highlight the experience of human emotions, encouraging readers to be “as human as possible.”
Mitch Albom is a 67-year-old American author and journalist. His greatest works consist of both heartfelt fiction and non-fiction compilations based on real life and fantasy. He’s never shied away from speaking on grief or death in his books because, as he puts it, “ I have realized that loss, love and finding meaning in your life while you are here are all universal themes, they are true for Americans, Africans, Europeans, rich, poor, black, white, man, woman, you name it. So I know that my stories, if I do them well, should resonate with people no matter where they are reading them.”
I would define “the human condition” as the aspects of a person’s life that define or facilitate their existence, such as their joys and sufferings, what deepens them mentally and emotionally.
We’ve all missed someone, forced our own judgments, grieved, loved, lost, gained and reflected on our lives. Whether you’re 12 and still begging to get your ears pierced, 20 and just dragging yourself through your undergraduate degree or 72 sitting in an old rocking chair watching your body cave in on itself, you’ve likely experienced a combination of these emotions.
That’s what Albom’s books are all focused on, meeting people wherever they are in life.
A running theme is surrender.
In “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” we watch the main character surrender to his own physical ailments, to the people that shaped his life experiences, to his own feelings of anger, guilt, shame, pain, acceptance and finally to his own mortality.
In “The Next Person You Meet in Heaven,” we watch the main character surrender to her own past trauma, her own physical limitations, her own feelings and finally to her grief.
In “For One More Day,” we watch the main character fight the surrender to his own past mistakes and grief.
In “Have a Little Faith,” we watch the main character battle surrendering to his own ideologies and judgements.
In “Tuesdays with Morrie,” we watch the main character surrender to grieving someone who hasn’t gone yet but will soon.
It’s all a part of the painful reality that makes us human. I’m personally not a fan of this experience, either. I mean, who wants to give into their feelings of loss over their late father, anger at those around them or sorrow within themselves? But maybe that surrender is along the path to contentment, coping with the things you can’t change and taking action towards the ones you can.
That’s the opportunity I feel is offered in each of Albom’s books—a chance to feel all the way through, or even if you’re not ready to fully get on the path, see what it could look like. So next time you’re feeling mundane, overwhelmed, or ungraceful towards yourself, consider picking up a book that’ll make you feel just a little more human.