Integration 3 Tom O’Connor Reflections on a Life Well Lived We gathered here today to remember the way that Tom lived his life. He was a busy man, but he always made time to reflect. He always remembered that “the need for an empty space, a pause, is something we have all felt in our bones; it’s the rest in a piece of music that gives it resonance and shape”(“Why we need to slow down our lives by Pico Iyer”- Moreau FYE week 1). Whenever he was stressed or going through hard times, he would reflect and meditate in order to ensure that he kept a good mentality. He knew the importance of taking time for himself in order to live a healthier life. However, while Tom made sure to reflect often, he made sure to do it the correct way. He made sure to ask the correct questions when reflecting since he knew that “‘why’ questions trap us in our past; ‘what’ questions help us create a better future.” (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There’s a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich-Moreau FYE week 6). He knew that it was more important for him to focus on the present and future rather than becoming stuck in the past. He understood that he could not change the past, so he understood that it was more important to focus on what he can control. However, he still understood that it was important for him to remember events of the past in order to learn from past experiences in order to shape his future. He always tried to treat others well regardless of what they believed. He always remembered how Hesburgh said “Mr President, we may have had our disagreements, but at the end of the day, we were all fishermen”(Hesburgh by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley- Moreau FYE week 2). He understood that we are all humans created under the image of God regardless of our political or religious beliefs. He tried his hardest in order to ensure that everyone he interacted with was treated fairly. He knew the importance of acting justly, and he https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ 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://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 made this his mission. Whenever he saw someone being left out, he would make his best effort to include that person. Tom acted with love and tenderness. As Pope Francis said “tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility. “(“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis Moreau FYE week 7). Tom understood that it took a strong person to treat others well. Oftentimes, people associate violence with strength, but he understood that being a loving and accepting person is the mark of a strong character. This is why he would act with tenderness, humility, and most importantly, love. He lived out the golden rule of treating others the way he would want to be treated. Tom made a difference in the world through his career. He chose to use his talents in engineering in order to contribute to saving the environment from climate change. When choosing his career he kept the idea of the need of the community in mind: “what is it that the community requires, that I am able to supply? We need to be able to listen to others about their needs”(“Three Key Questions” by Fr. Michael Himes-Moreau FYE week 3). While he had a passion for engineering, he also paid close attention to what he felt his community needed during his career. He decided that it was important to him and to his community that he and others worked on a solution to the climate change crisis. This was a good career for Tom since he enjoyed his job because of his love for engineering, and he made positive contributions to his community and to society at large. In order to select to study engineering in order to enable his career, Tom had to consider a few different factors. He kept in mind that “there is no ‘best major’ out there - but there is a ‘best major for you’”(“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Undergraduate Career Services-Moreau 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://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/files/476425?module_item_id=149885 https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ FYE week 4). He realized that careers are not one size fits all. One career that works well for someone’s talents may not work for another person’s skill set. From this he realized that his talents are in the stem field, so he decided to select to study engineering since he felt that it was the best major for him. This decision was integral to his ability to work towards a climate change solution, so he found that as his life went on, he made the correct decision. Another factor that helped him decide his career path was a conversation with his good friend (Moreau FYE week 5). This conversation helped him realize his talents in order to be able decide which major would work best for him. He understood what was important to him and what he was passionate about through this conversation with his friend. His friend told him that he saw his passion and interest in math and science and recommended that he chose engineering. He knew that Tom wanted to make a positive impact on the world, and he reasoned that engineering would enable Tom to do just that. There is no such thing as living a perfect life, but many strive to live a life well lived. I believe that Tom has achieved this goal through the way he acted throughout his life. He strived to treat others with love and kindness. He chose a career that strived to help the community rather than taking a higher paying but less moral job. He savored every moment of his life and was at peace with his life during his final hours. He was a man of religion and acted in accordance with God. For these reasons, I believe that Tom has certainly lived a good life.