S2Week 8 Integration 3 Prof. Pruitt Moreau First Year Experience March 2, 2022 Pursuing a Life Well Lived. “Many of us, nowadays, seem to believe that a happy future is something impossible to achieve. While such concerns must be taken very seriously, they are not invincible. They can be overcome when we don't lock our door to the outside world. Happiness can only be discovered as a gift of harmony between the whole and each single component. Even science – and you know it better than I do – points to an understanding of reality as a place where every element connects and interacts with everything else”- Pope Francis. (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week 7). was a man who lived every day with this thought in mind. He was many things: a hard worker, a good resource, a musician, a world traveler, a leader, and above all else, a friend to all. Joey sought to enjoy his life in every way he could. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I’ll miss that passion and fire—the way he loved to seize those opportunities at every possible chance he could get. One of the values which I, as well as countless others, learned from Joey was the value of appreciating our differences. Not everyone in the world is our best friend, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all be nice to one another. He taught us that a variety of relationships is key. Though it doesn’t seem intuitive, surface level relationships are necessary to a fulfilled life and give deeper meaning to stronger ones. There’s not one answer to happiness, but what we know is that a balance is important. 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 Kositzke I distinctly remember one day when Joey sent me the link to an article written by a nun who emphasizes reflecting on your death. He thought it was a fascinating concept that was worth exploring and valuing. One of my favorite bits of that article is the line: “To us, death is exotic, but that’s a luxury particular to our time and place”- Joanna Ebenstein. (“Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die” by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week 3). I don’t think there’s ever a eulogy that’s ‘happy’, but I know that today we should be celebrating all of the life that Joey lived in his time on the planet. He was fully aware that things are finite and that it could all disappear on a moment’s notice. Every second of his life was intentional. He preached reflection and seizing opportunities, and he definitely practiced what he preached. There was never a dull second in Joey’s life from the second he graduated college. Perhaps it was simply his drive, or perhaps it was the guidance he received from Notre Dame, or most likely a combination of the two, but he was dedicated to not wasting a minute. Inspired by the lesson he experienced early in his college career: “The only way to know more about yourself is to test the waters - just get out and experience life!”, Joey set out to embody this state of life every day (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week 4). He took time to evaluate his interests and passions and he actively sought out experiences and chances to develop this understanding. It was a busy way of life but he wouldn’t have it any other way. And yet, he wasn’t drowned in reflection and self-discovery completely. He saw that “Introspection can cloud our self-perceptions and unleash a host of unintended consequences” (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There’s a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html?login=email&auth=login-email https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html?login=email&auth=login-email https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ Kositzke FYE Week 6). Sure, there is much value to be gained from examining our own actions, but we can’t forget about the value of living in the moment. All of us are familiar with the way that Joey would call those around him to take a step back from the business and appreciate where we are, no other thoughts in mind. To him, the balance between reflection and blank experiences was a constant effort. It helped both him and all of us to live with a bit more appreciation of where we were and propelled us forward regardless of the situation we found ourselves in— and it continues to do so. Like I said, Joey always tried to stay in tune with our present world. He would always joke about the craze of technology that surrounded us all, but in the end he helped many of us see beyond the reach of our screens. One quote he’d always point to was Kevin Kelly’s advice on technology: “I continue to keep the cornucopia of technology at arm’s length so that I can more easily remember who I am” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week 1). Though it was often a joke between us, there was a lesson to be gained from his perspective on the topic. It is so easy to get caught up in life without realizing where we are, or even who we are. One of the key terms Joey liked to say in regards to this was “realignment”. The idea of seeing where we are and where we need to be, the idea that we aren’t always on the right track but it is never too late to correct course. When we realign, we grow. And then there’s the matter of influence. We’re all here today because Joey impacted us deeply in some way or another. Though he’d hate to take credit for it, this was the result of good leadership and being a good person as a whole. If you ask anyone who met Joey to describe him, one of the first words they would usually say is “kind”. He’d always like to cite people like his https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ Kositzke own university’s Father Hesburgh as strong influences that helped him become the man he was (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christine O'Malley - Moreau FYE Week 2). Wherever it came from, Joey was a master of spreading goodwill and kindness to all he met. And boy, did he meet a lot of people. Whether through LinkedIn, Irish Compass, or a chance meeting in person, each and every connection that he made was rooted in these values (Moreau FYE Week 5). We’re going to miss Joey, but the good news is that his legacy is here to stay. There was not a second with him we regret spending, not a conversation we regret having, there are no regrets when it comes to Joey. Only joy and appreciation. Thank you all for coming today and remembering a life well lived, and may we all continue to embody Joey’s memory as we go through life. Have a great day. https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9