Integration 1 - Semester Two


Mr. Wood Tried His Best, In all Things
It’s quite strange for me to write this obituary in honor of Evan Wood. I got to know him quite

well and I’m afraid I might have a skewed perception of what Evan did in his life, and how he treated
others, but I’ll give it my best try. That’s what Evan’s mindset was at the time: give it his best try and if it
doesn’t work out, that would be just okay. He wasn’t the top of the class when it came to academics, or
the greatest socialite, or the wealthiest person I met–but he gave it his best try when it mattered, and for
him, that effort was enough.

I met Evan his sophomore year at Notre Dame. As a fellow chemical engineer, Evan was in many
classes but he often forgot it, something which amused him the multiple times that he ‘found out.’ This
was no malicious act, each time he tried to get to know someone was genuine.

As the university president at the time, Rev. John Jenkins said: “[Father Ted] often said that the
Latin word for priest was pontifex, bridge builder” (“Hesburgh” Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C - Moreau FYE
Week Two). Jenkins suggests that one of Father Ted’s greatest virtues was his ability to reach out to others
with different views than his own and make meaningful connections and friendships.

I believe that Evan had this same ability, albeit in his own way. Evan was quick to smile and even
quicker to laugh at what you said. Not in a malignant way, but in a way that I felt appreciated and
welcome whenever I talked to him. You could tell he was engaged in a conversation when after he had
finished talking, he would intently make eye-contact with a slight smile as he waited for a response. He
sometimes stumbled over himself when he talked about batteries, or anime, or the book we had to read for
our theology seminar. It wasn’t that he was nervous or hurried to be done with the conversation; he
merely found the conversation topic interesting as well as his conversation partner.

Evan was satisfied with whatever came his way, both in his academics and his relationships. He
was always quick to remind that “Contrary to popular belief, deciding on a major does not determine the
rest of your life” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” Moreau FYE - Week Four) – he took this to heart.
He wasn't painfully hurried to graduate and be 'free' from class. He also wasn't quick to close off himself
from engaging in classes outside of his major.

However, I knew how much of a struggle it was for him to maintain a healthy separation of his
academics from his self-worth and from his mood. I would see him, every other day or so, set down his
notebook, slide his feet into boots, and take a break from the emails that had buried him to go on a walk
late at night with headphones. I only ever went on one with him. I remember him being quiet, but with the
biggest lopsided grin I had seen on him in over a month.

Later he had told me he could have been grinning at a multitude of things. He could have been
amused by his sudden freedom from the stressful thoughts of productivity that had captured him only
moments before. He said that during his walks, he could clear away the desires that had no substance for
him, the destructive and unhealthy desires such as for popularity in his social interactions or material
wealth and academic distinction. I remember him loving this quote: “Half the confusion in the world
comes from not knowing how little we need” (“Why We Need to Slow Down Our Lives” Admiral
Richard E. Byrd - Moreau FYE Week One). He loved his walks because they let him clear his mind and
reflect on the things that he had enjoyed throughout the day. He was also able to let go of his stress that
may have built up over his academics.

Then during his walks, he reflected on how he had acted throughout the day. When he had shut
himself off from others with negative thoughts: “Yet, we need to see others as other people! Not to project
on them what we would like if we were in their shoes because we are not in their shoes” (“Three Key
Questions” by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three). He knew it was impossible for him to



purposefully prevent negative thoughts from entering into his mental dialogue. However, he said he made
a conscious effort to not entertain negative, resentful, and jealous thoughts. By letting go of these negative
expectations of others, he was better able to appreciate those around him.

He said on these walks that he also thought about how he was helping others. During his fall
semester, he had thought that a key aspect of his spiritual life was missing. That’s why he started
volunteering for Our Lady of the Road, a Catholic Worker center for people who are homeless.
“I began to realize that some of the movements that I can do, the movements that I have already, can be a
blessing for others” (“Five Minutes” Dr. Jihoon Kim - Moreau FYE Week Six). He also took to heart this
sentiment from Fr. Greg Boyle: “And yet, there are lines that get drawn, and barriers erected, meant only
to exclude. Allowing folks into my jurisdiction requires that I dismantle what I have set up to keep them
out.” (“Tattoos on the Heart” Fr Greg Boyle - Moreau FYE Week Seven). He recognized the Notre Dame
buble that he was in and sought to reach out to the larger South Bend community in an impactful way.
That motivation led to his efforts with Mercy Works but in the future, he also hoped to expand his
volunteering efforts through volunteering for the local Boys and Girls Club and build even more
connections with even more South Bend residents. While his efforts weren’t on the scale of Mother
Teresa, he did what he could with loving intentions throughout it all. I bet part of his motivation for
donating his time to the South Bend community could be summed up by his Father’s words: “[Evan]
desired to bring others joy above most everything else.” (Discernment Conversation - Thomas Wood -
Moreau FYE Week Five).