Capstone Integration - Robert Corrato Robert Corrato 04/29/22 Taylor Kelly Moreau FYE The Pursual of Fame, Fortune, and Love of Being First and foremost, this title doesn't do justice to defining how I am truly going to end up being in my life. The title of finding that new fame, fortunately making enough money to live comfortably, keeping my family close, and bringing in new members is what I believe will happen in my soon future. It can be drastically different from those few reasons, but as of right now, in my relatively juvenile to young adult life, that is what I picture. During this semester of my Moreau First Year Experience, as a class, we have explored the true meanings of finding your well-lived life through your root beliefs and how you utilize those beliefs that make you the person you are today. Each classroom discussion acted as an opportunity to be vulnerable and state your true feelings about how you want to be a person in the future regardless of what anyone else will think. Especially in my specific major (FTT), a lot of people look down on engaging yourself in something that qualifies as an art in retrospect to another major with more of an emphasis on something STEM or finance-related. Yes, this was detrimental to my conscience, and it was reflected in all my QQC's, whether stated or unstated. Also, I have had a very significant bump in my life that my QQC's also reflected in the tragic murder of a very close childhood friend. These two were the most significant life moments for me last semester that forced me to think differently than I used to, and my experience in and out of class positively helped me the most. Through my mission statement that I wrote, I combined my personal lessons passed down through my family and the lessons I learned in our class discussion to find the right words to describe how I must live a fruitful life. Together with specific quotations from each QQC, show how I will pursue my version of my life well lived. Kicking off how Taylor, our instructor, guided us through making our own lives redeemable, you must be able to find yourself and understand what you want to do with your life. This is a loaded statement, and this is exactly what college is about in retrospect to growing up as a young adult. In week one of Moreau, we are told to slow down our lives and look back and forward towards the future. Pico Iyer states 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 One) Having that sense of not needing to worry along with how that silence and restful time to think. I've been doing lots of thinking due to my first doubts about changing my major in the very beginning of the semester, but that thought is far, far away from me now. What kept me going in FTT was the inspiration and original mission I had so very long ago. In week two, the class was assigned to watch Fr. Hesburgh's documentary, called Hesburgh, about his life and the glorious things he has done for both the Catholic church and education as a whole. In the film, Fr. Hesburgh was said to be "...a mediator." (Hesburgh by Patrick Creadon - Moreau FYE Week Two) Being a mediator defines how there must be a level of mutual respect for all people, something that is reiterated many times in my mission statement. Trying your best, being a kind leader, and never giving up are all aspects of self respect or respect for others. Basic factors that put together that quote, "try your best, never give up, and be a kind leader" show how one must go beyond their comfort zones. These include exploring, discerning, and questioning what you must do in order to fulfill your personal mission statement. There is a very large amount of planning that goes into this, as said in week four's class, "... it's not a one-step process." (Career Development Reflection Activity by Notre Dame - Moreau FYE https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147286 https://nd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0AGRyH4SWX0bz38 Week 4) Lots of thought, often losses in train of thought, have gone into the simple decisions all times of the day. As said in my introduction, I am often left questioning about my major, the work and effort I am putting into my classes, and if this FTT route is even the decision for me. I am not alone in this, as I have talked about this with many other sophomore FTT majors. Week three's primary source comes from Sister Alethia. She states: "it's actually in facing the darkest realities of life that we find light in them." (Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die - Moreau FYE Week Three) Dark realities in life aren't just in the movies or feelings from others you know. They also go beyond the classroom and the aspect of being at Notre Dame. The dark realities struck me at the beginning of this semester in one of the worst ways possible. After Christmas break, I lost a childhood friend to a straight-up, wrong place, wrong time misfortune. I met Makai in kindergarten, where he was known as the biggest and strongest kid, while also being the most gentle. Week six of Moreau introduced forms of meditation to us. Since this dreadful week, I have been finding five to ten minutes every day to meditate. A specific line from one of our mediation sessions in week six reminded me how I should be thinking after and during the mourning stage of my great friend. The narrator said: "Find your deep wish that you may be well in your deep suffering. Let go of the practice and how your body feels right now. Let any sensations be just as they are in this moment." (Ways to Practice Mindfulness by McDonald Center for Student Well-Being - Moreau FYE Week Six) Being frank, I suffered and I suffered for a long time from this. I suffered with my friends after being on endless phone calls to some of the strongest and biggest men I know crying to another man crying on the other end. Even some people I talked to I haven't connected within a very long time, maybe even since middle school. This forced me to "to break bread together, to be present on a journey with a beginning and an https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SEXhurkurERNVdy8sgNwZaAKTAr-385q/view end." (A Learning Journey Together by Professor Steve Refienberg - Moreau FYE Week Nine) I started new journeys with people I didn't know extremely well and saw an opportunity to reconnect over tragedy. It's a poor way to reconnect and reach out, but this makes me rethink how I must continue to look out for people in my community that have made an impact on me in my life, somehow, someway. As time went on, I moved away from my time of suffering. It was incredibly difficult and only time truly tells how you will feel after. The death of Makai told me to move on and focus on myself. I know in my heart it was the last thing he would have wanted. There would never be a time Makai would make a big deal about anything regarding himself and would instead bring those up around him. After this struck, I knew that his time was over and he would have wanted me to focus on myself, my personal development as an adult. This time of discernment allowed me to reflect back on my original doubts about what I want to do as a human and how I would shape my life. Discernment is the obtainment of your own spiritual direction. Week five's QQC was different, making us ask a friend for some personal quotes on how you define yourself through your own discernment. A friend, Julia, stated that "(I) you value ensuring that my future ensures what I am passionate about rather than what happens to make the most money." (Discernment Activity by Robert Corrato/Julia DiFazio - Moreau FYE Week Five) Seeing how short life is, it has made me realize the categories of greater importance in life. Money, objects, and non-viable connections aren't nearly as important as strong friendships, love, respect, and family. Sure, I want to have a great job in the film industry, but fortunate enough, money doesn't have to be a top-priority driving factor of what job I will end up taking. As I previously reflected earlier in the semester in my first Integration assignment, we were tasked to write our own eulogy in reflection to how we believe our lives will pan out. https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147724 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E3wzGm8gxQW04OHWkkTPly656xc0PswmovIehBJ7Wvc/edit Something that I greatly focused on was the interpretation of how important family is. Coming from an established Italian background, the mob movies weren't joking when they reiterated how tight knit an Italian family is. I stated earlier that, "his sister and family were absolutely the strongest relationship out of anyone else in his lifetime." (Integration 3 by Robert Corrato - Moreau FYE Week Eight) As I've grown, the relationship with my nuclear and extended family has only helped my perusal of a life well-lived. Yes, there are ups and downs, arguments and what not, but all of those are quickly forgotten by everyone soon after. Having solidarity amongst my family means that there is a relationship between two or more people. I most often see this as a "family" tie since they bring me and many others a sense of unity and support as one title, the Corrato family name. I consider this a gift, as Pope Francis stated in week seven's video of him preaching. He says, "When one realizes that life, even in the middle of so many contradictions, is a gift, that love is the source and the meaning of life" (Why the only future worth building includes everyone by His Holiness Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week Seven) Relationships are gifts, and so is family. Taking life one relationship at a time and focusing on those who matter to you the most will eventually end up paying you in the long run. Another relationship that goes beyond family is my relationship with God. Coming from a Catholic background, attending K-12 private Episcopalian school, and now coming to a Catholic university, it is safe to say that an influence of God and prayer has been surrounding my life for some time now. Every night, I pray. When I feel the need, I pray. When I attend mass, I pray. In these prayers, I follow God's guidance along tasks of my everyday life. I a "(I ask him if He) can show you." (Growing up Gay and Catholic by Jacob Walsh - Moreau FYE Week Ten) the ways instead of just making them happen. This process of learning is something very similar to what my father would do. He never let me or my sister get something without a process of https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J3Bp5r4fHC3lu31azWVRBJVKF0DGwYs5ID5GD4vWfZ0/edit https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147657 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147657 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147767 achieving it, which is something I am very grateful for. Learning determination through either religion/or physical encounters have been proven to be the best sources for me. Being determined on a task or career goal is something that has been taking up mass amounts of time and space in my brain. In order to continue on the path you set for yourself, you must remain courageous that your work ethic and drive will not fail you. That is the part of "try your best" that is summarized in my father's quotation. As seen with Makai, life is something that can be taken away from you in a fraction of a second. Going beyond the call of duty when helping others would be something similar to what my dad would say as well. When your drive for success comes with the implication of others, there is a mutual promise between me, you, and all people that I will help you in a time of need, especially when it is needed the most. When you can help, when you are healthy to support, and when you have the opportunity, I will always remember, regardless, "I must do something." (I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something by Dean G. Marcus Cole - Moreau FYE Week Twelve). As I will get older, I will grow more wise based on the decisions and things in my life that God will make me endure. I firmly believe that wisdom comes with age, experience, and reasonably common opinion. In becoming wise, just be able to open up to different experiences and differing opinions. In week eleven, Dr. Blaschko, a professor at the University of Notre Dame, stated, "First, we should be intentional about the info we expose ourselves to…Secondly though, we must keep an eye on our own motives…" (How to Avoid an Echo Chamber by Dr. Paul Blaschko - Moreau FYE Week Eleven) Keeping yourself on task with your own life and not getting drawn into the success of others is something very, very important in the cutthroat industry I intend to work in. Not getting distracted in the very visually distracting world will be hard, even now, it's hard for me to not compare myself and my work. Looking over all of this and https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147868 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147868 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40291/modules/items/147825 just focusing on yourself is by far the best and most important factor of your own success while working on projects that suit you and your feelings. To round off this rant about my life and inner-emotions, I want to quote myself. Pursuing a life well lived is nothing without the passion for living life. This may sound awkward, but it is rather simple. Surround yourself with your family, they will support you everlasting. Blood is an unbreakable bond. The writer of my personal statement, who is me, without technically being me, said that "(he wants to) see the passionate and wonderful things you will accomplish." (Mission Statement by Robert Corrato - Moreau FYE Week Thirteen) As of right now, I feel like I am in a waiting room, waiting for my first year of college to end, exams to pass, and to get to the summer where I can see all of my old friends I so dearly miss. Now that I know my passion, which is filmmaking, I shouldn't stop and watch. Now is the time and today is the day to create, so don't let that passion flow away. Sincerely, Rob. https://docs.google.com/document/d/16-GJ7sHaozyhwH8V1mlby4bGuUIraB3F2_ShlhOy18I/edit