Integration Three 


The Girl Who Never Gave Up

Throughout life, it is common to hear that one should enjoy every moment of life because

it goes by fast. It is also common to hear phrases like “enjoy your youth” and “cherish every

moment.” While I do agree that life goes by fast and people should enjoy the time that they have,

I think it can sometimes give us the false impression that we should not suffer and be mad if we

ever have to suffer at all. These past seven weeks made me pause and reflect a lot on the person I

strive to be and the obstacles that I have overcome to be where I am now. I realized that suffering

is all part of life and one must learn how to react to it to be happier and be a better person all

around. I also learned that the career choice that I made when I first came to Notre Dame is one

that I want to keep pursuing and hope to accomplish that goal someday. I hope that when my life

comes to an end, I will be happy with all of the goals that I have reached, the experiences I had,

and also all the people I have loved and met. I want to be remembered as someone who didn't let

the challenges of life deter her from reaching what she truly wanted in life.

The question of “How do I define a life well-lived” has grappled with me for a

long time. I concluded that living a good life is not determined by how much money one makes

or how many challenges people have had to face. I realized that living a good life is determined

by how one reacts to the suffering that is present and how much stronger one can come out of

these bad situations. One quote that stood out to me was “Suffering and death are facts of life;

focusing only on the ‘bright and shiny’ is superficial and inauthentic. ‘We try to suppress the

thought of death, or escape it, or run away from it because we think that’s where we’ll find

happiness,’ she said. ‘But 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” by Ruth Graham-

Moreau FYE Week Three). I learned that overcoming suffering and sadness and how we react to



them is what determines a life well-lived. Suffering will always be present but it is how we react

to it that makes all the difference. I remember when I first came to campus, I was very

heartbroken to be far from home. I missed spending time with my family and being able to have

the family dinners that we would have every night. I was especially sad when I was not able to

be there for my younger sister’s birthday. Although I was very happy to come to Notre Dame, it

was difficult for me because I knew that I would be far from my house and family. I learned that

being far from home was a sacrifice that I would have to make and I learned that I did not have

to suppress the sadness, but rather find ways to lessen it. This mindset changed my overall

college experience because I was able to enjoy spending time with my friends and enjoy going to

my classes instead of dwelling on the fact that I would not be home. I still found time to call my

family every day and write occasional letters to them.

Another quote that stood out to me was “God is good and God loves us but the purpose of

my life is not about overcoming suffering, it is about how to overcome suffering with God” (“5

Minutes” by Aria Swarr- Moreau FYE Week 6). I thought this quote went well with my idea of

living a life well-lived. It is one where we accept the suffering in life but understand that we do

not have to endure it all alone. We can always count on God. It is this understanding and reacting

to suffering in a positive way that shows one lived a good life. When I lost one of my good

family friends to suicide, I was devastated that I would never see her again and had a hard time

moving on from the situation since it was the first time I ever had to experience losing someone

dear to me. I would feel guilty at times for not doing more for her while she was alive and not

giving her as much of my time and attention while she was here. After going to mass and talking

to my theology professors and all the support from my family, I learned that I do not have to go

through hard times alone and that having other people can help overcome difficult situations. I



also learned that suffering has a purpose. It is a way to develop character and grow in faith. One

quote that I liked was “There is meaning in suffering, but to understand that you have to first

suffer yourself. Test your faith, but in the end, I found strength” (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and

Christine O'Malley- Moreau FYE Week 2). I learned the value of community. I realized that a

way of knowing that one lived a good life is by noticing all the people that one has to love and

support. I learned that having hope is important in looking to the future. This reminded me of

another quote that I read, “Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesn't lock itself into darkness, that

does not dwell on the past, does not simply get by in the present, but can see a tomorrow” (“Why

the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone” by His Holiness Pope Francis- Moreau FYE

Week 7). Another sign of living a good life is being able to look to the future positively without

dwelling on the suffering of the past. I was able to overcome the suffering experienced from

losing a friend by the great community and support I had and by looking to the future.

Another question that has grappled with me is the one about how I want to be

remembered when my time comes. I want to be remembered as someone who always worked

hard for their dreams and someone who never gave up despite their circumstances. I also want to

be remembered as someone who loved lots of people and worked hard to help others. Because of

this, I know that my choice in wanting to go to medical school is important. I know that I want to

use the gifts that I have to help others. After having a deep conversation with my mom, she told

me, “You value hard work and never give up when you know what your goal is” (“Discernment

Conversation” by Yulma Rodriguez- Moreau FYE Week 5). She noticed that when I have a

major goal to reach, such as going to college, I always put forth my best effort to reach it, which

is self-knowledge that was confirmed. This made me happy because I know that I want to be

known as someone who never gave up on their dreams.



I have always known that I wanted to go to medical school. It has been a dream of mine

for as long as I can remember. One quote that I read was “The idea is that the best career choices

for a person are those that allow him/her to implement as many parts of his/her self-concept as

possible” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meruelo Family Center- Moreau FYE Week 4).

I thought that this quote is an example of one that holds really meaningful insight and truth. I

think that it is so easy to get caught up in the idea that we should choose a career path where we

will be the most successful and the one that will give us the most economic stability. One should

try to get out of that mindset and go for the career choice where they are most happy and the one

where their gifts are put to the best use. I know that being a doctor, where I get to help and

interact with people, is something that I would enjoy and where my gifts are put to the best use.

Because of my great desire to go to medical school, I can sometimes stress too much

about my grades and focus too much of my time on school. I understand that it is important but it

is also important to focus on my mental health. I know that to achieve all the goals that I have, I

can’t lose myself. I read this quote that said, “Meditation can lower blood pressure, help boost

our immune system, and even change the architecture of our brains” (“Why We Need to Slow

Down Our Lives” by Pico Iyer- Moreau FYE Week 1). I know that I used to not take time for

myself because I was stressed, but I learned that it is also important to live a little and have fun

while making memories. I know from experience that sometimes there is a competition for who

is busier and who is always being productive, but I think this shows that it is equally important to

relax and take a step back. My roommate and I found a weekend to take a trip to Chicago where

we were able to explore and go to many restaurants. Although I know that studying is important,

living a good life is also determined by the experiences made. I know that when I get to the end



of my life, I want to have had the chance to be a doctor, but also look back and smile at the great

experiences I had.