Integration 3 Remembering my Life Well-Lived A life well-lived is all Chris could have ever asked for. During his life, he accomplished many great things that his family and friends can all be proud of. For all of the good things he has done throughout his life, I am sure he was able to reflect back on his life and smile, understanding how he has touched so many lives. When Chris was just a child, it was very noticeable how competitive he would be growing up. One distinct memory that I have is Chris arguing with the t-ball coaches that another kid was out, “This isn’t baseball, those are not the rules!” The coaches had to explain that nobody ever gets out in t-ball and that it was all about learning the game. As he grew up past that experience, Chris was always capable of earning the respect from his teammates, coaches, and other parents. Not only did this come from on the field, on the court, or in the pool, but it also came with how he interacted with these people. He always had a way to keep things fun, high-spirited, and enjoyable, while keeping the game or activity competitive. Chris always talked about how fast his life was moving and how he missed his childhood days, “The very people, in short, who have worked to speed up the world are the same ones most sensitive to the virtue of slowing down” (Why we Need to Slow Down our Lives - Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week 1). He definitely wished to live in the moment more and really take a step back from a lot of things in his life to really understand what he valued. As Chris got older, he really began to understand how important it is to be honest with each other and tell the truth. His mom always stressed how important it is to open up and talk every now and then. She really wanted to be as close to him as possible, whether the truth would upset her or not. To her, that did not matter, she just always talked about living an honest life with each other. Telling the truth will make these relationships stronger, “If I may be unkind to some person in what I say about them, it’s impossible to have a complete and honest human story if one doesn’t speak of human failings as well as human successes” (Hesburgh film - Moreau FYE Week 2). Another thing that Chris had was a great mindset. Aside from being positive and uplifting, he always tried to find ways to improve. He was regarded as very coachable and applied the many life lessons he had learned, “[Dissatisfaction] is what constantly moves us forward, makes us grow, expands our horizons, and deepens our perceptions. It’s a very healthy, a very important, and a very valuable thing!” (Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau Week 3). Happiness is only a day-to-day thing. This should not have a major effect on our life’s choices; whereas joy, fulfilling our talents, and providing service do affect our decisions. Having passion in something means that we want to get better by doing what we love the most. We should strive to find this passion, which Chris always tried to do. Chris had found a passion for the sport of swimming. He has had mixed emotions about it all of his life.“I’m sure you’ve all done things that you really haven’t enjoyed – maybe it was something a friend or family member wanted you to do a required course in high school” (Navigating Your Career Journey - Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week 4). In fact, the only reason he joined the swim team was that he was exhausted from watching his older brother practice. Since it was too hot outside and the community pool didn’t open for a few hours, he finally hopped in the water. He had taken the sport as far as he could have ever imagined. The sport allowed Chris to meet some of his best friends, whether it was at home or in college. “I thought it was a really interesting conversation because it was really the first time we talked about what we think and respect each other. Some things were scary accurate, which is unbelievable considering we have only known each other for a few months” (Conversation Activity - Moreau FYE Week 5). This is one thing Chris had really emphasized. Meeting new people in a whole new environment can certainly be a difficult challenge, but when he met a group of strangers who he’d see every day, they instantly clicked. He often described it as if they had known each other for many years leading up to that moment. He believed that these relationships are what is key to living a life well-lived. That experience with that close-knit group of men had everyone reflecting on their lives and how they wanted to spend the rest of their life. Coming from The University of Notre Dame, they all knew they had some major opportunities in front of them if they applied themselves in the right areas. With this great opportunity comes a lot of pressure and stress, “The people who scored high on self-reflection were more stressed, depressed and anxious, less satisfied with their jobs and relationships…” (The Right Way to be Introspective - Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week 6). However, Chris’ mindset and relationships were solid enough to enjoy even the smallest moments with the ones he loved. Throughout life, relationships will have their ups and downs, and it's about how you can recover from those moments in life, “[Hope] can do so much, because a tiny flicker of light that feeds on hope is enough to shatter the shield of darkness” (Why the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone - Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week 7). Chris always had a lot of hope for whatever life threw his way. Chris would always love to be remembered for how joyful, hard-working, and dedicated he was. His family is what he values the most, and he certainly hopes that they remain proud of what he accomplished in this life.