Integration 4 Lmachion Ryan Retartha Moreau FYE: Integration 4 28 April 2022 Life’s Meaning is What You Give It The question of how to live a well-lived life is one that stretches over one’s whole life. Some smaller qualities of a well-lived life may change with time, the core values should remain the same. However, making a roadmap of values and qualities of a well-lived life through the Moreau First-Year Experience Course is a great opportunity to reflect on what one truly values early on in his or her college career. As I think about what I value in my life, my faith makes the top of the list. In Fr. Himes’ article, he references St. Augustine’s quote: “A human being is one whose heart is restless until it rests in God.” (“Three Key Questions” by Fr. Michael Himes- Moreau FYE Week 3) No matter what we accomplish, we cannot be truly fulfilled without God. Distractions can keep us from living well-lived lives. “I continue to keep the cornucopia of technology at arm’s length, so that I can more easily remember who I am.” (“Why We Need to Slow Down Our Lives” by Pico Iyer- Moreau FYE Week 1) In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to become distracted from the values and goals expressed through our mission statements is by the outside influences of the world. Technology is a major culprit in this. Certain influencers on social media can lead us astray to abandon our values. If we rely on technology for constant entertainment and joy, it can diminish our personal development and serve as a roadblock to achieving what we set out to do in a mission statement. I want my work, activities, and accomplishments to have meaning. In a podcast, Eitan Hersh talks about how following politics and news is becoming a hobby that is not fruitful. He says, “They're there to serve their own emotional and intellectual needs. They're not trying to move anyone. They're not trying to empower anything. They're really just trying to learn and engage in a pretty frivolous way,” (“Passion Isn’t Enough” by Eitan Hersh- Moreau FYE Week 11). How we spend our time defines us, and I want to always remember that time is a gift and that, through the activities I take part in, I should be accomplishing something. Moreover, I want my accomplishments to have a positive impact on the world. To start, I need to carry a positive and thankful attitude. Tasha Eurich writes on the importance of this by saying “Difficulties were still present, but awareness of my gratitude was shifting my view, letting me see that everything was not dark and cold—in fact, many sights and sounds were quite lovely.” (“The right way to be introspective (yes, there’s a wrong way)” by Tasha Eurich- Moreau FYE Week 6). Additionally, I must value teamwork and my interactions with others. “Quite a few years of life have strengthened my conviction that each and everyone's existence is deeply tied to that of others: life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions.” (“Why the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone”- His Holiness Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Week 7). “Ted was a bridge-builder among people and God and among people,” (Hesburgh by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley- Moreau FYE Week 2). This quote from Fr. Jenkins in the movie Hesburgh demonstrates the importance of interactions and working in community to successfully achieve a goal. To truly make a difference, I must ask for the help of others and not solely go off of my own ideas. The University of Notre Dame emphasizes this by including on its website, “Christians have found their life together enriched by the different qualities of their many members, and they have sought to increase this richness by welcoming others who bring additional gifts, talents and backgrounds to the community.” (“The Spirit of Inclusion at Notre Dame” by the University of Notre Dame- Moreau FYE Week 10). I must change the way I think of helping others and realize that service is often a two-way street. Steve Reifenberg went to Chile to volunteer after graduating college. When reflecting on the experience, he writes, “My life has been enormously enriched through those relationships, and the concept of accompaniment has given me a new lens through which to understand my own experiences, teaching, international development, and much more,” (“Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together” by Steve Reifenberg- Moreau FYE Week 9). At the University of Notre Dame, I believe that there is a good balance between academic success and service. Classes are rigorous and prepare students for successful careers, but the Congregation of the Holy Cross emphasizes the importance of service. In their mission statement, it says, “Our efforts, which are His, reach out to the afflicted and in a preferential way to the poor and the oppressed. We come not just as servants but as their neighbors, to be with them and of them.” (“Constitutions of the Holy Cross” by the Congregation of the Holy Cross- Moreau FYE Week 12) As I go throughout my life, I want to keep these values in mind as it is important to not be caught up in one’s own success. An important thing to note when thinking about how to live a well-lived life is that “Career satisfaction/success depends in part on how well a person can identify and implement his/her career self-concept, which is comprised of your values, interests, personality, and skills.” (Navigating Your Career Journey- Moreau FYE Week 4) We can come to understand these things through ourselves and others. While taking a look at ourselves through our own eyes is important, it is also important to listen to what others see in you. Through the activity in week five, I learned that my mom notices how focused I am when I work, which is something I did not realize (Conversation Activity- Moreau FYE Week 5). This proved the importance of listening to others when trying to see your talents and how those talents can be used for good. By writing my eulogy (Moreau FYE Week 8) I reflected on how I want to be remembered - not someone who amassed great material wealth but someone who used her skills to make a difference and help those around her. That same philosophy is embedded in my mission statement (Moreau FYE Week 13) and my reflection on how to live a well-lived life.