The humanitarian which focused on all but himself

Here we stand on the grave of Pablo Raphael Casanova Pou. Pablo was a great person as he always intended to see the best in others and not care much for his benefit. He always did everything in his power in order to not waste his life, whether it was focusing on himself or others and having meaningful experiences which would improve his life. He always asked himself “What life am I living” (Moreau FYE Week 1). He always tried to live his life outside the phone screen in order to pay more attention to detail. “Put another way, the ability to gather information, which used to be so crucial, is now far less important than the ability to sift through it.” (“Why we need to slow down our lives”- Moreau FYE Week 1). This means that rather than appreciating the information around us, we just wanted to get it quick on our small screen.”. By paying attention to the outside world he always thought about how he could help others and how he could live a life well lived (Moreau FYE Week 2). He was sometimes compared to Hesburgh, but not for his looks and wealth, but for his ability to serve the community. “You are a very attractive man and have a great sense of humor [...] I wonder if being single is not often a distraction by the women you may get who may generally admire you as a person?”. (“Hesburgh”- Moreau FYE Week 2). Hesburgh most of the time did not focus on himself, but helping others. Pablo dedicated most of his life to community service and it was great watching him live a life well lived. In order to live this life, Pablo had to ask himself many questions. He was inspired by Michael Himes who said :”Is it a source of joy? Is this something that taps into your talents and gifts- engages all of your abilities- and uses them in the fullest way possible?”. (Moreau FYE Week 3). This helped Pablo only focus on activities which would bring him happiness, such as his sports, going to the beach, and hanging out with his friends. With this in mind he tried to avoid everything possible which would degrade his life. Pablo had the wonderful opportunity to pursue his Undergraduate degree at the wonderful University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. There he decided he wanted to pursue a career in medicine and eventually become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in helping children with sports injuries. In order to complete these goals, Pablo had to prepare himself for success in order to live a life well lived. (Moreau FYE Week 4). He used the opportunities at the CCD, where they “talk a lot about the “career development process”. What exactly does that mean?  Essentially this is the process of deciding on a career (or careers) and navigating your journey.  It is something you’ll engage in your entire life - and you’ve already started. It is a dynamic process with movement back and forth between stages.” (Moreau FYE Week 4). In his development as a person, Pablo always loved listening to criticism as others. As much as he loved all the praise and congratulations, the critics are what made him focus on what he needed to improve and forced him to always be the best version of himself. Pablo’s friends described him as “competitive” and “always wanting to be successful” which are two traits which he needed to tone down. However they also know about his passion in medicine and his great willingness to help others: “I have always been passionate about working in a career in medicine and have realized  that the healthcare system prioritizes people with money. Therefore I seek to give the same excellent health care opportunities to all members of society.”.  (Moreau FYE Week 5). In order to reach his success, Pablo needed to identify what his obstacles were, but he always concluded that his obstacles were himself. He dedicated a lot of time to himself, trying to get to know himself better in order to improve and execute everything to perfection. ​​“Similar studies have shown that people high in insight feel more in control of their lives, show more dramatic personal growth, enjoy better relationships and feel calmer and more content.” (Moreau FYE Week 6). By removing all the obstacles out of his way, Pablo was able to persevere through college, get into medical school and eventually have his dream job as an orthopedic surgeon. Even when he reached the top, there were always many obstacles impeding him staying at the top, but he always used many methods to not pay attention to the obstacles, or to eliminate them. One of the greatest methods he used was to use his connections and friendships and allow them to help him succeed. SInce he was little, Pablo was always very charismatic and always tried to make everyone's day, with a simple smile, joke, or hug. This characteristic allowed him to create many meaningful connections which have lasted through a lifetime. Even though his friends have changed through his life as he moved to different places due to his education and job, he always tried to maintain contact with all of them. (Moreau FYE Week 7). Pablo also did his best to unite all communities separated by different ideals. He said: “If people were to be more open with others, we could eventually unite to become one larger community. A community which was meant to be established long ago. All people of all races, religious groups, socioeconomic classes, political groups and more will all unite to work for the greater good of the world and will have everyone living a better life.” (Moreau FYE Week 7). He thought that by doing this the community would become more knowledgeable and we would be a better world. It is no doubt that Pablo made an impact in the life of everyone he met, as he always tried to do the best to make you happy. He will be remembered as a great humanitarian who deeply cares for others and will do his best to see his people happy. We love you Pablo and will miss you.