Aphorism Project

Aphorism: “Don’t let go too soon, but don’t hang on too long.” 

     "Don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long,"  was spoken by Morrie during the Audiovisual Part Three in Tuesday's with Morrie. Morrie was being interviewed for the TV show "Nightline" when he mentioned his newest Aphorism. He told the interviewer, Koppel, that he wanted to die with serenity. When Morrie talks about not letting go too soon he means that you should't give up too early. Morrie has ALS and he isn't letting it get too him, he is trying to stay healthy for as long as possibly and doesn't want to give in too early. When he mentions "not hanging on too long", he means that you can't stay forever. If you are ill and your life is coming to an end, you don't want to put yourself in pain and hang on until it's officially time for you to go. You should die peacefully and the way to do that is not hanging on too long but facing the fact that it's time to go. 

     I've used this aphorism in my life a few times. There was a time when I was in a friendship that wasn't all that great. It seemed like every other week there was an issue with each other and I knew that wasn't normal. I didn't want to let go of the friendship because I knew the other person was going through a rough time in their life and that they needed my help. I didn't want to be a part of this friendship if it was going to stay this way. Things did get better after a while. But then I realized that things were once again changing between us. I knew that it was time for me to leave the friendship. She was moving to a new school and we decided to lose contact with each other as a mutual decision. We didn't want to hold on to a bad friendship too long but didn't want to let go too soon when we still could see each other every day.

      I agree with this aphorism for many reasons. One of those reasons is because I think that it is not good to hang onto something that is hurting you. If you are in pain or are hurting because of a relationship or because of a person, you can't hang onto them. You don't want to hang onto something when it's hurting you. You don't want to put yourself in pain when there is a way to prevent it. But, you can't give in too easily. Some situations call for certain measures. If you were faced with death, you can't give in and let yourself shovel up and die. You have to push and stay alive. But you can't hold on too long, where it puts you in pain to breath.