Integration 3 Eulogy-Integration 3 I want to first express my overwhelming gratitude and extend a thank you to all of the relatives and friends in attendance today, and to everyone who has come together to honor Sabrina. I know that she loved each and every one of you, and would be absolutely honored to see you all gathered here today. In her lifetime, Sabrina assumed a variety of roles in relation to us all: a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a cousin, a friend, or she may have even been a stranger. For those of you who were not able to become close with Sabrina during her short lifetime, I hope to give you some insight into who she was, and how she lived her life. When pondering what I should say about her, I decided that the best way to encompass her life would be by explaining some of how she defined a life well-lived. The thing I think she would want to stay with you the most, was that, in the words of Pope Francis, her “life flow[ed] through [her] relations with others,” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Week Seven). Both she and Pope Francis shared the belief that when we realize that the material things, the achievements we may have, or the accolades we may receive mean much less than the way we treat our brothers and sisters, we can begin to find meaning in our lives. Sabrina truly believed, which she strived to reflect in how she treated those around her, that when all is said and done, no one will remember what kind of car you drove, or the shoes you wore, or the GPA you graduated with, but they will remember your kindness and the way you treated others. So, in honor of her, let’s focus today on the way she strived to treat those around her and the meaningful relationships she held, rather than focusing on any achievements she may have had. I know that she would place her relationship with anyone of you much higher than anything she may have accomplished. 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 Though she lived through her relationships with all of you, something she struggled with throughout her life was slowing down, and taking a step back from her school work. Speaking from experience, living on a campus where many things are fast paced and competitive, can sometimes engulf you. Interestingly enough, I believe the hard work and perseverance that she demonstrated was rooted in her love for those around her. She wanted to be successful so that her family and friends would be proud, so that her family wouldn’t ever have to struggle financially, and so that she could be proud of something at the end of the day. Though she worked hard, she understood that, “the more time [she] spent away from the work, the better that work [would] be,” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iver- Moreau FYE Week One). This “break time” would most definitely be attributed to her frequent Starbucks trips, taken with her friends at Notre Dame. She valued her time away from her work much more than her time doing it. Take this as an inspiration to spend more time focusing on family and friends. Sabrina strived to make her work an afterthought. Another thing I feel is worth mentioning is that Sabrina refused to be defined under one simple term, much like one of her inspirations, Father Hesburgh. From working closely with the President in tackling segregation to expanding one of the nations top universities, Hesburgh touched the lives of millions (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley- Moreau FYE Week Two). Father Hesburgh’s life truly showed that we do not have to be confined to our job description. Despite being Notre Dame’s President, he reached beyond the confines of his career and did something more. Sabrina was a musician, an actress, a hopeful businesswoman, a student leader, and so much more. She was interested in anything, and wanted to do everything. Father Hesburgh showed her that this was possible; he showed her she didn’t have to choose one thing to try really hard at. She was an inspired woman. https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40299/modules/items/143021 In the words of Sister Altheia Noble, “we naturally tend to think of our lives as kind of continuing and continuing,” (“Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die” by Ruth Graham- Moreau FYE Week Three). Sister Altheia wants us to remember that we will die; Sabrina’s life is an example of why this way of “immortality thinking” is detrimental. In honor of Sabrina, we should consider Sister Aletheia's beliefs about death, we should not be afraid of it and rather ponder it. Knowing that something will not last forever encourages us to value it that much more, and in light of our current tragic situation we should value our lives with everything we have. We all know that life is short, and can be taken away at any moment. Because of this, Sabrina tried not to take this life thing too seriously. She believed that, too much “introspection can cloud and confuse our self-perceptions, unleashing a host of unintended consequences.” (“The Right Way to be Introspective” by Tasha Eurich- Moreau FYE Week Six). She always talked about how introspection oftens leads us to pondering the past instead of looking ahead. She believed that the past can shape us, but only the future has the ability to change us. At the time of her death, though she had minors picked out, Sabrina was still undecided in her primary college major. This was mostly because of the fact that she believed that “there is no “best major” out there - but there is a ‘best major for you.’” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meroulo Family Career Center- Moreau FYE Week Four). Sabrina was never one to take the easy way out, or pick the major with the best salary. She believed in the fact that if you work a job you love, you’ll never truly work a day in your life. That is what she wanted for her life, and to her friends still in college, I think she would want you to pick the major that makes you happy. Not the major that will make your parents happy, or fill your bank account. She believed that happiness was greater than money. Sabrina once told me that “despite the 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://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40299/modules/items/143076 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40299/modules/items/143076 uncertainty in regards to my major, I am remaining hopeful; I have a feeling that I will end up working a job that's right for me.” I wish she was able to live out that dream. I'll end with this. A conversation with her father, Sabrina’s unofficial life coach, revealed that she always strived for excellence, in everything that she did (Career Conversation- Moreau FYE Week Five). Sabrina’s drive and motivation to be someone great, inside and outside of the classroom, was truly something. Though she cannot be here with us today, I know she wants you all to know that she loves you very much. She would not want her passing to place a hold on any of your lives. So, get out there, and live the life she would want you to live. Live in honor of her. Thank you.