Integration 3 Ortiz Bautista 1 Eulogy of a Life "Kind, smart, gentle, well-mannered, funny, great brother, friend, confident, strong-willed, great son, amazing father, great husband. Rey was all of these, but he always felt sad not having done all he could to help others. He did his best to be there for others, which is why we loved him so much. Or why cried without end. He helped all of us here in a certain way. He may have been burdened by that or had to make many sacrifices for the sake of others. Even so, Rey always smiled. His goal was to be happy only when everyone around him was happy. Rey always hated seeing people sad. He wanted to help others and relieve their pain. He valued human relationships, whether shared with friends, family, lovers, or strangers. Rey appreciated respect. Those who gave it will receive it. Rey wanted to make a difference, especially within the hearts and minds of people. That was his goal. He wanted to be a role model for those who knew him. Rey wanted people to get along and give people hope for a better world. Rey influenced those around him and wanted them to better themselves and others. Rey did all the things he set out to do. Truthfully, Rey was an inspiration. Thank you, everyone, for hearing me out, Simon Li, his best friend. I knew Rey the best. He was the most respectable person I knew. May he rest in peace." That about sums up what I want my eulogy to sound like. A little cliche, no? I think it is pretty accurate considering the life I want to live. To me, a life well-lived contains three valuable aspects: love for others, growth of mind and heart, and deep connections. In week 3 of Moreau, we read an article about a nun called Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble. She stated that it is “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"- by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week 3). This quote struck out because the darkest reality of life is the inevitability of death, sickness, and aging. Being a https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html Ortiz Bautista 2 witness to the death of my grandpa; losing the other, and facing numerous sicknesses within the family, this harsh truth is ever-so daunting. However, it correspondingly establishes a sense of urgency for us all. Our end is uncertain, no matter how much we attempt to plan or avoid it. Therefore, people need to live an amazing life before their time ends, whenever that may be. Acknowledging that fact, my notion of a good life resides in the companionship I hope to make while flourishing in mind, spirit, and body. Whether those friends are the special ones made from Notre Dame or the ones I will have fateful encounters with in the future, I will be ready. In a video of week 6 of Moreau, an interviewee named Jihoon was asked, “why does God allow suffering?” To which he replies, “suffering is a part of our lives. It is always there, but it is about how to respond to suffering from God” that makes life what it is (“5 minutes” A grotto story by Aria Swatt - Moreau FYE Week 6). That statement is thought-provoking. For one, it indicates that the love and faith of God are essential to living a good life. And for another, life is filled with suffering that we must all face. This relates to Sister Theresa's view that in darkness we will find the light. Comparing the two, to live a good life, one must experience hardships but not alone. And further, being religious, my faith in God has been my compass throughout hardships and joy. Forsaking this sacred relationship will be detrimental. So having a union with God is necessary. Nevertheless, building deep relationships with friends and family will allow one to not only triumph over suffering but live a happy life. Therefore, it is imperative that to live a life well-lived, one must love others to foster profound connections with people who will be the light to one's darkness and aid one in attaining treasured joys. Moreover, in his ted talk, Pico Lyer presents that “the need for a 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 Lyer - Moreau FYE Week 1). https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/transform/why-does-god-allow-suffering/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ Ortiz Bautista 3 Through this, the belief that taking a break in one's life-vacation, meditation, going out with friends, sleeping-would be a sign of living a good life. This simple and small act is critical. It allows one to recover, enabling the mind, body, and soul to feel less burden and reset a stressed mood to positive well-being. But more importantly, it helps to reflect on our character, actions, behaviors, virtues, and goals. Like Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh puts it, “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” by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week 2). Knowing our failures and successes, whether physical, emotional, or mental, enables us to have an extensive perception of who we are and what we are doing. As a result, we can plan out what we wish to accomplish while simultaneously leading to our personal growth. Due to that, I believe that personal development is a principal attribute of living a good life. Having faced many afflictions in life and overcoming every step of it, I not only won over the adversary but grew from it. ven Pope Francis agrees. Admiring the phrase, “The Future You,” he asserts that “while looking at tomorrow, it invites us to open a dialogue today” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week 7). Questioning who we are and who we want to become fundamentally permits us to set life goals and define the meaning of a life well-lived. That said, I believe that flourishing in mind, faith, spirit, and body are essential to living a life well-lived. In consequence, seeing our successes in these parts are signals of living a life well-lived. Ultimately, I want the last chapter of my life to be defined by my love for others, my desire to grow to my best self, and my value of deep relationships with others. Although “planning your career is much like planning for a trip” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week 4), or that planning life is https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/35977/modules/items/146887 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://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ Ortiz Bautista 4 that simple, I do not believe that to be true. Life is unpredictable. Countless factors must be considered, before making a decision. However, what would help is to know who we are and what we value. Week 5 of Moreau asked us to hold a Discernment Conversation Activity with someone we trust. For me, it was my best friend Simon Li. In this Discernment Conversation Activity, he said that I “lack one true self." Because of that, I reflected on what he meant. I determined that he suggested that if I do not know myself, I cannot live my own life or even a good life at that. I find this to be true. I honestly do not know who I am. I also do not know what I want to be. Notre Dame will help me solve these two dilemmas. Therefore, I will strive to create one true self in life. That is one of the meanings I have for living a life well-lived. In addition, I wish to establish deep relationships with people and thus love for others. That being the definition of a life well-lived, achieving these aspects will indicate having lived a happy and good life. Finally, I want to be regarded as a person who treasured those around himself, trying to better himself every day and improving the lives of others while having love and respect for all. Thank you.