Integration 3 She Danced “I hope you dance” was the song that Lindsey’s mother played to her throughout the entirety of her life. From simple moments of joy, to complex moments of pain, the song was played on repeat to remind Lindsey of her inner strength and resilience in each moment of her life. While she attended sporadic dance classes during her adolescence, Lindsey never grew into her ballet shoes; however, she still danced throughout her life. Job interviews, conversations, breakdowns, and classes were all attended by Lindsey’s willingness to be present and ‘dance’ during them. lived a full life; one that she shared with her family, friends, and each stranger she encountered. In determining the difference between happiness and joy, she was able to be present in each moment and each conversation she participated in. As Father Michael Himes stated, “Joy, on the other hand, is much deeper and much more central, it comes from within, and it’s a genuine rightness of how one lives one’s life” ("Three Key Questions" by Father Michael Himes- Moreau FYE Week 3). In her college years- with this knowledge of joy versus happiness in her back pocket- she met some of her closest friends. With the confidence instilled in her through both her education and her experiences at the University of Notre Dame, Lindsey was able to truly put herself out there and dive into each relationship or opportunity presented to her. In getting to know herself and allowing herself to grow, her eyes were opened to endless possibilities. As she was told in college, “you have to know yourself first - your values, interests, personality, and skills (VIPS) - before you can make effective career choices” ("Navigating Your Career Journey" by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development- Moreau FYE Week 4). This being said, Lindsey listened to her mother’s advice: “to take something you https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40336/files/475884?module_item_id=149291 https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ like, and take something you’re good at, and make it your job”, which resulted in a career in Law after earning her English and American Studies undergraduate degrees. Aside from her career, Lindsey loved to travel, and she spent a majority of her youth contemplating which place she could possibly choose to settle in. However, she kept in mind that “the places that move us most deeply are often the ones we recognize like long-lost friends; we come to them with a piercing sense of familiarity, as if returning to some source we already know” ("Why We Need to Slow Down Our Lives" by Pico Iyer- Moreau FYE Week One). While she spent a while trying to find herself and her ‘home’, she realized that it was right in front of her the entire time. Home wasn’t a place, but the people she encountered in life that made her feel welcome and comfortable. When making similar important life decisions, Lindsey frequently asked herself ‘what’ versus ‘why’. “ ‘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). Lindsey learned in her collegiate years that in holding on too tight to her past, she would never be able to move forward. However, she also learned that completely disregarding her past would not set her up for success in the future. In finding this balance in her academic and personal life her freshman year at Notre Dame, Lindsey was able to build a strong foundation for her future and her career. Although Lindsey had an extremely successful career, she valued her relationships the most. At the end of the day, when she came home from work, she realized that the people she surrounded herself with were the people that she treasured a lot more than any grade, outcome, or applause she received. In a moving conversation with her best friend Maddy while both girls were in college, Maddy told Lindsey something that changed her perspective forever. Maddy told Lindsey something difficult to say, but important for her to hear, which was that she tends to 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/ be a ‘people pleaser’, and forget to put herself first. ( "Conversation with Maddy" - Moreau FYE Week 5). While Maddy’s response was extremely helpful in shaping Lindsey’s character as she aged, it also made Lindsey realize the value of their friendship itself. With strong relationships that are founded in trust and love, there is the ability to grow and change as you challenge one another. In noting this, Lindsey prioritized her relationships because they were the most consistent form of joy and weight in her life. In all of Lindsey’s relationships, she put aside her differences amongst her peers and made note that “we may have had our disagreements, but at the end of the day we are all fishermen” ("Hesburg" by Kevin Abbott- Moreau FYE Week 2). In valuing her peers and family, Lindsey can say that she lived a life-well-lived simply based upon her relationships. She found that with the disagreements and frustration she faced in this world, holding onto any anger would only set her back. Lindsey learned in her life “that it always becomes impossible to demonize someone you know” ("Tattoos on the Heart Chapter 8: Jurisdiction" by Fr. Greg Boyle- Moreau FYE Week 7). With this in mind, Lindsey made sure to greet each stranger with a smile, and take the opportunity to get to know those around her on a personal level. In prioritizing acts of kindness- even something as minor as holding the door open for someone, or complimenting someone’s shoes- Lindsey found fulfillment in the world around her. In finding beauty in each situation she endured and each problem she faced, she realized the amazing aspects of this world that went unnoticed in the earlier portion of her life. In “being where her feet were” each breath of each day, Lindsey found the serenity within herself and within her life. On even the cloudiest days, Lindsey knew that she had an amazing support system in the shape of her family and friends, and, in knowing this, she grew into the confident and successful woman that many grew to know and love. In dancing through life, Lindsey https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40336/files/523775?module_item_id=167905 learned something valuable about the world and about herself: no matter where she went, the people she loved were always there in her heart. In learning that the world runs on love, Lindsey lived a fulfilling life.