Spring Moreau Integration Midterm Prof. Bushman Moreau Integration #3 25 February, 2022 A Force for Good in the World I remember as a man of positivity. Whatever the situation was, he always attempted to extract the positive aspects of a circumstance. I believe that his pursuit of positivity is what made him such a great dad and person to be around. My dad, will be remembered for his positivity, mentorship, and righteousness. Many of us often lead busy lives and carry great amounts of responsibility. Kyle was no different from this precedent, as he was always very busy and held great amounts of responsibility. Despite his many duties, he always seemed to be jovial. Whenever I asked him how he stays so optimistic, he would remind me that “stress will be the health epidemic of the twenty-first century” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer- Moreau FYE Spring Week One). He explained to me that there are so many things to stress over in our world, and often it can become overwhelming. Going day by day, hour by hour, is the best way to make sure you are not too overwhelmed in life. I found that approaching life in a step by step manner really helped me, but I found it to be quite difficult. He encouraged me to keep trying, as he also struggled at the beginning. Kyle explained that when he first started to live step by step, he reminded himself each day “Improving myself slowly and steadily should be my mission each day” (“Discernment Conversation Activity” by - Moreau FYE Spring Week Five). After years of practice, living step by step helped me to feel less stressed and happier. I think we can all learn from Kyle’s method of minimizing stress in his life. https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q4NnJVvyKXuwshj-KDpvZzEOY0MLrVpmSHgcuuhwRls/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q4NnJVvyKXuwshj-KDpvZzEOY0MLrVpmSHgcuuhwRls/edit?usp=sharing Growing up, I was very uncertain about my future. I remember my senior year of highschool, when I just had to idea where I wanted to attend college. The uncertainty was constantly bringing down. Kyle offered me some advice, explaining that “when hardship or unexpected things happen, we often focus on the things that we don’t have” (“5 Minutes” by Aria Swarr- Moreau FYE Spring Week Six). My dad reminded me that it is very easy to get caught up in our own self pity in life. We will deal with hardships throughout our lives, and we will not always have everything that we desire. However, there is so much that each of us possess in life that we should treasure. Instead of always thinking about your desires, take some time to appreciate what you have and those around you. My dad’s words really helped me to gain some perspective during this time of hardship. Just a few short months later, I had finally made my college decision. Despite my happiness that my great college search dilemma was behind me, I had a new dilemma. I had no idea what to major in. Once again, I felt so unsure about my future and was not sure what to do. Once again, Kyle gave me more advice. Kyle reminded me that “Contrary to popular belief, deciding on a major does not determine the rest of your life” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meruelo Family Center For Career Development- Moreau FYE Spring Week Four). As a highschooler, my understanding of the world was pretty unrealistic. Kyle made me understand that my choice of major is not what I will be stuck doing for the rest of my life necessarily. His advice made me go out on a limb and study what I love, rather than what I would have thought would make more money. As I am older and have a better understanding of the world, I realize that a college major does not define who someone is. Someone’s attitude, values, and work ethics are what defines someone in their professional career. I am incredibly grateful to have my dad as a mentor during my early years. https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/transform/why-does-god-allow-suffering/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/transform/why-does-god-allow-suffering/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ While I learned great amounts from what Kyle told me, I also learned so much from observing his actions. As I grew older and was able to understand and judge character, I realized how much of a stand up person he was. As Kyle was once a student at the University of Notre Dame, he often talked about his times and experiences there. One quote that I remember Kyle telling our family came from Father Hesburgh, “There comes a time in life… where moral righteousness is more important than an empty victory” ("Hesburgh" Produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O'Malley- Moreau FYE Spring Week Two).We all love to get what we want in life, but this reminded me that we should always be ourselves and stand for our values in life. The satisfaction of a victory can be very nice, yet also very fleeting. Standing for your values makes you respect yourself, creating a sense of satisfaction that lasts one’s entire life. Sometimes when we push for victories just to boost our own egos, people can be hurt. It is important to remember that every person feels emotion, and think about how we may make others feel through our actions. I remember Kyle frequently thinking about how others feel. When bad issues would arise, he often asked “Why them and not me?” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Spring Week Seven). It is important to remember that as humans we are always vulnerable, and something that could happen to someone else could always happen to us. That is why it is always important to help others. As I think back more about Kyle’s life, I think this directly correlates with his humble personality. Kyle would always remind the family to “remember your death” (“Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember that You Will Die” by Ruth Graham- Moreau FYE Spring Week Three). While thinking about death can be morbid and heartbreaking, Kyle was trying to make a point. Remembering that everyone will eventually pass away is very humbling. This idea reminds us that as humans, we are all very similar. Anything that we gain on this Earth, such as “victories” are fleeting. While our victories https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html are short lived, we can set a precedent for how to live for future generations. The importance that Kyle placed on righteousness and morality contributed to setting a better precedent for how other future generations can live. Kyle was an example to me and others of how to live a fulfilling and righteous life. As I reflect on my dad’s life, I remember all of the happy and fulfilling moments that we spent together. He was an example for how I should live my life and interact with others. I truly remember Kyle for his positivity, mentorship, and righteousness. Kyle was a force for good in our world, and I intend on carrying on his legacy of making our world a better place.