Moreau Integration #3 Richardson 1 Professor Taylor FYS 10102 26 February 2022 A Life of Love: The Eulogy of “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.” – Theodore Roosevelt My mother lived by these words. She always strove to push her limits, to try and try again, never giving up in the pursuit of what drove her. Whether it was in her career as an MD-PhD ovarian cancer researcher or as a mother to my brother and myself, she never gave up. She worked and worked until she excelled. As Father Michael Himes stated, “Joy is the delight one takes in being dissatisfied.” (“Three Key Questions” by Father Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three). She was never satisfied with not knowing the answers to questions that arose in her life, particularly those regarding her research, and she found joy in puzzling through these questions, in using her intellect and capabilities to find their answers. Her work brought her such great joy because of its many puzzles. My grandparents always said to us that our mother would do a deep dive on any topic she found remotely interesting, wanting to absorb every bit of knowledge she could about a subject for the sake of learning alone. (“Week Five Discernment Conversation Activity” with Eric and Tracy Richardson - Moreau FYE Week Five). She had a https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41005/files/468567?module_item_id=144085 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit Richardson 2 love of learning, and she sought to instill this within her children. Well, Mom, you were successful. The same National Parks you took us to as kids are now the places I’m sharing with my children. You’ve turned a 10-year-old and an 8-year-old into Revolutionary War historians thanks to our recent trips to Valley Forge and Independence Hall. She also knew that all of life was a learning experience. Every occurrence held a lesson to be learned. She strove to learn from all that had happened to her and to improve herself based on what she had learned. (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four). She knew how to make the most of a bad situation and to ask the right questions in a situation, ones that would lead to answers and self-discovery instead of self-doubt. (“The right way to be introspective (yes, there’s a wrong way)” by Tasha Eurich, PhD - Moreau FYE Week Six). She listened to what God was telling her in any situation, and she did her best to answer His call. She was a fantastic mother and friend. She was selfless and loving to all she encountered. She never hesitated to help those in need if she was able. As Mother Teresa said, “One cannot love, unless it is at their own expense.” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by His Holiness Pope Francis, in which he quotes Mother Teresa - Moreau FYE Week Seven). This applied to my mother in all that she did. She was trustworthy and honest, a true friend to all she encountered. (“Hesburgh” produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two). She had a fantastic caretaking nature. All who were treated by her as her patients were comforted, knowing they were in capable, caring hands. She was efficient, strong, and capable, but she was also soothing and warm. She was an amazing doctor, and she brought these qualities https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 Richardson 3 into her research, as well. When she was working, she was in the zone. You could tell that she was exactly where God meant for her to be because she was performing at peak functionality. She was calm, collected, and successful, but she was also warm, funny, and charming. She had the perfect personality for her work, which enabled her to excel all the more at it. Intellectually, she was capable, but her personality is what truly enabled her to face any of her work’s and life’s challenges with a brave face. She always cited her time at Notre Dame as a primary reason for her success. Not only did it prepare her intellectually for her work, but it built her spirit, enabling her to grow into the person she was meant to be. It enabled her to be successful in her work and personal life. She also cared deeply for the places she loved. Her beloved Great Smoky Mountains, a place where she always found comfort and peace, were of great importance to her. They were as comforting and familiar to her as her home in Northern Kentucky. She always wanted to take care of them, leaving that beautiful place for future generations to learn from and enjoy, and her volunteer service with the National Park Service enabled her to do so. She found great joy in her volunteer work there. (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One). She loved nature. Her beloved house in the Kentucky countryside was in a perfect setting for her, surrounded by gentle, rolling hills and luscious forests, all in myriad shades of emerald. She dedicated hundreds of hours to fixing up our home, to shaping it into a space that reflected her and our family. Complete with a cat sanctuary, a sunroom whose windows opened to let in refreshing spring breezes, and a library that housed the thousands of books she had collected throughout her life, our house was a space where all felt welcome. I loved growing up https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ Richardson 4 there as much as she loved the hours she spent there playing piano, singing, writing novels, knitting, petting our cats, swimming, and building Lincoln Log cabins with her children and grandchildren. When she died, she was surrounded by her children, her grandchildren, her corgi, and the cats she had rescued. My father preceded her in his death, and now, I am so happy for them as they are finally reunited. My mother was an intelligent, brave, strong, caring, and funny woman. All who knew her were better because of it. Emily, we miss you. You have touched our lives more than you know.