Moreau Capstone Integration
April 29, 2022
 

The Evolving and Winding Paths of Life

	As my first year of college comes to an end, I realize that I have just started a significant chapter in my life, one that has entailed struggle and obstacles, but one that has also brought forth friendships, growth, and a life I never would have predicted. College is only one of the many chapters that I will experience and reflect on as I continue to navigate through my life. As I reflect on my experiences of the past, the valuable lessons that I have learned from merely one year of college, and think about what the future entails, I have come to realize that pursuing a life well lived is critical to the enjoyment of future experiences and overall growth as not only a student but as a person. What I previously considered to be a life well lived, has greatly been altered since setting foot on a new path which has invited me to think about the true meaning of living such a life and inspired me to start thinking about the different things that I can do to reach this said life. A life well lived is one that comes in various forms and is subject to change as a person grows and develops, this was the case with my previous conception of a well lived life, as my ideas and understanding of life has evolved, I have made it a mission of mine to pursue a well lived life so that I made find internal happiness in all aspects of my life. 
	An integral part of pursuing a life well lived is being present in the day to day events and interactions of life that make our lives the meaningful experiences that they are. It is these meaningful moments and interactions that are pivotal to the development of our character and expose us to learning more about ourselves and others. Nowadays, this crucial aspect of life has been hindered by the development of technology and the virtual lives that many of us take too seriously and indulge ourselves in. In obsessing over our lives with technology, it is more common to miss the significant events both small and large in life that may contribute something profound to us. Additionally the rise in technology has caused many people to “feel as though we are standing next to a huge canvas that’s noisy and crowded, changing with every microsecond” ( Moreau, Week 1). In pursuing a life well lived, I aim to lower the noise and narrow my focus on the important and real life events that are transpring around me. Additionally, in focusing on the real life events that occur around me, I will be fixating on another prominent aspect of pursuing a life well lived, which is using internal and external struggle as a source of motivation and not stray away from experiencing this type of struggle. There have been various times over the course of my life in which I felt that if I avoided any factors that might contribute to my struggle, I will be able to succeed more effectively. However, this previous conception was entirely incorrect. In order to truly achieve a life well lived, we must climb the mountains of struggle and at times unfairness that surround us and use any of the lessons that we attain throughout the journey and apply them for the betterment of ourselves (Moreau, Week 2). 
	Next, as previously mentioned, pursuing a life well lived entails using both internal and external struggles we encounter throughout our lives as motivation. Throughout my life, I understand that there will be inevitable times of darkness in which I feel my grip on hope slipping away. I have already experienced this in the past and many others around me have told me that they have also shared this experience. However, an important aspect that we must continuously work on  in order to achieve a life well lived is the perspective in which we view our problems. As previously stated, there will be times in one’s life in which a time of darkness is experienced, however, it is important to note that in facing the darkest realities of life, we find light in them (Moreau Week 3). Through such experiences, we are put in a situation in which we come to realize many things about ourselves. The light that emerges from the dark experiences can come in a variety of forms such as personal growth, realization of the things we have around us, or a change in our lives that may have been better for us than previously thought. Moreover, in addition to improving our perspective on the events of life, it is also important to use both our negative and positive experiences to guide us towards what we want our lives to consist of. An important aspect of pursuing a life well lived is using our experiences, growth, and interests to explore career paths which we will be content with for the rest of our lives. As I explore my interest through my classes, I have come to realize that I particularly enjoy learning about genetics and this has prompted me to explore this career path. However, regardless of if a person has made a decision on what they want to do with their lives or if they are still exploring by actively engaging in the process, taking ownership, and utilizing the tools at their disposal will allow them to reap the benefits of a satisfying professional life (Moreau, Week 4). 
	Additionally, as I interact with new individuals and ideas, I have found that I am growing and developing personal views and opinions about certain topics that are prevalent in the world or in my life. However, as I explore these topics and my opinions, I have found that there are certain conversations which are sometimes harder to have than others. The ability to have difficult conversations and engage in topics that one is passionate about is critical to pursuing a life well lived (Moreau Week 5). One should never stray away from having a difficult conversation as it is these conversations that are essential to our learning process and sharing of ideas that are important to us or others. Moreover, exploring ideas about ourselves and developing views on not only the world around us but views about ourselves is a very important part of achieving a life well lived. Introspection and developing a positive self view of ourselves are all goals that a person should strive for. In the past, I typically viewed myself in a negative light and would often be asking the wrong questions when performing introspection that would release a host of unintended consequences (Moreau Week 6). However, in addition to learning the value of having a positive self view, I have learned how to attain it and how to perform introspection correctly by asking appropriate questions. In diminishing my tendency of asking the wrong questions and not focusing on the ideas which were not the root cause of the issues I was trying to resolve, I was able to learn a lot about myself and the positive aspects that I was missing out on for a long time. 
	Moreover, I have also come to learn that in helping others, we are able to help ourselves. The act or service of simply offering a hand to others is pivotal to us understanding what a life well lived means and making strides to achieve that life well lived. I have always enjoyed working with people and being able to make a positive impact in their lives whether it be miniscule or significant. If a person has the ability to help another, it is our moral obligation as people on the path to a better life to help that person. Pope Francis once stated, “We all need each other, none of us is an island, an autonomous and independent “I”, separated from the other, we can only build the future by standing together and including everyone” (Moreau, Week 7). In helping others, we are able to learn about the values of solidarity and move towards making a change in not only the lives of others but our own, but developing our ideas of what it means to be good and helpful. Additionally, in helping others or ourselves, we must also acknowledge one of the most powerful tools to do this effectively and one that drastically moves one closer towards the goal of a life well lived, optimism. Optimism is an extremely important value to hold when encountering anything in life. Many people around us in our communities or around the world, may be going through some form of struggle in which they themselves have lost their optimism that they will be able to prevail. That is why it is essential for one to always be optimistic, to be able to provide hope for others that may have lost it. The quote “If you can be pessimistic, you are basically deciding that there’s no hope for a whole group of people who can’t afford to think that way” clearly portrays this moral obligation of ours to be optimistic for the greater good (Moreau, Week 9). 
	Furthermore, one principle which I have decided to implement into my life to pursue a life well lived is inclusiveness. As a first generation latino college student, I have come to appreciate inclusiveness and the comfortable environment that I have found around me because it has made the transition from my home to here very easy. However, not many other students have been blessed with encountering inclusiveness and it is essential to promote it and practice it to give students the same opportunities and comfortability. The practice of inclusiveness is essential to incorporate into our everyday lives, as it not only helps us grow as individuals but also cultivates an environment of joy and comfortability for the many people around us. Since arriving at the University of Notre Dame, I have also been reminded of the catholic roots to promote inclusivity and the importance that it serves in a community of people, including ourselves (Moreau, Week 10). In addition to the promotion of inclusiveness, another practice that can be implemented into our lives to pursue a life well lived is accepting and seeking out the diversity of opinion. Growing as individuals entails exposure to information which we may or may not agree with and making a decision of which we accept based on our moral or individual principles. However, it is important to seek out information and sources which allow both sides of an issue or particular case to be explored. In exploring multiple perspectives and hearing different parts of information from two different sides, we are able to avoid formation of echo chambers in our lives and the community around us (Moreau Week 11). This contributes to a life well lived as it allows individuals to experience a life in which they can make their own informed decision based on the information that is available to them. 
	Finally, one of the most important aspects I seek to incorporate into my life is courage. Courage is a driving force which provides us the ability to engage in even the most daunting of tasks and not stray away from something that may be beneficial to our lives. It has been made clear that in life, there will always be difficulties and obstacles but with courage, the outcome may be drastically different. It is essential to maintain courage in the most severe of situations and do what we believe is right without any hesitation. In doing this, we are not only allowing ourselves to fight for what we believe in but ultimately inflict change in our lives and for those things for which we fight (Moreau Week 12). Harnessing the courage to do even the smallest of tasks can prove to be life changing and inch a person closer towards a life well lived. As I explore my life, implement these ways of pursuing a life well lived, and continue to learn more, I am working towards my mission that I previously mentioned of attaining this life I desire. As I progress through life, I will continue to develop many missions which will interconnect with one another and this is one of them. I have set various missions for myself, such as being able to contribute to my community and contribute to the world through learning and teaching. However, I now realize that my mission of attaining a life well lived plays a bigger role in these other missions of my life than I previously thought. It is for this reason that I will continue to pursue my life well lived so that I may achieve my missions and find ultimate success and happiness in my life (Moreau, Week 13).