Moreau Integration 1 Integration 1 Assignment Moreau First Year Experience 10/15/21 My Beliefs can Lead to Change and Passion Throughout my life, I have continuously seeked to build my beliefs through developing a deeper understanding of myself and others. When I was young, I always looked up to my parents and followed their footsteps in order to shape my own mannerisms as well as use their influence to develop my own beliefs. However, as I have experienced many different situations, I have not only been able to build upon the foundation that my parents set for me, but also develop new beliefs and ideas that have shaped me into the unique person that I am today. Whether the experience involved serving with others, a special family tradition, or an experience with friends, I have come to know that they have not only guided my belief system, but also have taught me lessons that I will use for the rest of my life. Through developing concrete root beliefs, it has provided a compass for me in determining my path that I plan on taking in life and also has allowed me to discern the unique and incredible plan that God has for me. My root beliefs are that first, I believe that I forge life giving relationships by being vulnerable and honest with myself and therefore expressing my genuine self to others. I believe that I can pursue truth by learning from experiences with others and being open to the diversity that exists in the world. Finally, I believe that I am made to create a community of kinship through my actions.Through experience and learning from situations that I have encountered in my life, I have been able to further strengthen my root beliefs and also build upon the foundation that my root beliefs have built for me. I walked out of the car juggling my golf clubs, water bottle, and papers for my first golf practice. I was a sophomore in high school and I had never played golf before and I did not know anyone on the team. However I wanted to try something new since it was out of my comfort zone. When I began to practice with the team, I watched in admiration of my teammates hitting the ball extremely far, where I was hitting the ball less than ten yards. However, this encouraged me to practice more and set a goal to be an influential contributor to the team. I not only was able to achieve this goal in eventually becoming a top scorer on the team, but I was also able to gain incredible relationships that I will cherish forever. As the only person who had never played golf before, I was in a very vulnerable position and relied on my coaches and teammates for guidance. This allowed me to develop connections with my teammates that I would have never been able to create without the power of vulnerability. In Brene Brown’s TED Talk about vulnerability she states, ““In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen” (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown - Moreau FYE Week One). Through seeking assistance and being open to my teammates and coaches advice, I was able to make myself “seen” in a way by being vulnerable which therefore helped me create life giving relationships. This can also relate directly to the VIA character study that was discussed in class (VIA Character Study -VIA Institute of Character- Moreau FYE Week 2). Before I tried golf, I was very hesitant to try something new due to the fear of the unknown and not having previous experience. However, after trying something new, I was able to develop humility and create a deeper appreciation for vulnerability, which helped further my character. I was able to expose myself to something that I was not exemplary at in the beginning, however through hard work, determination, and with the help of my team, I was able to improve. This can also be directly correlated to the development of life-giving relationships which was discussed in an article that was discussed in class which addresses the importance of recognizing toxic relationships (“Five Signs You're in a Toxic Relationship” by Olivia T. Taylor- Moreau FYE Week 4). I have learned that it is crucial to recognize the distinction of unhealthy and healthy relationships. I have come to know that I have the responsibility to further my healthy relationships and also cultivate friendships that are “life giving” Therefore, this experience truly helped strengthen my belief that the most effective way in creating life giving relationships is through vulnerability. Throughout my life, I have constantly longed to seek for the truth in every situation that I experience. However, I have come to know that one of the most important ways in pursuing the truth is through my faith and recognizing God within each person I encounter. This has played a major role in my https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register?registerPageType=popup https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ faith in which through experiences with other human beings, I have been able to apply the ideal that every person is made in the “image and likeness of God”. Through recognizing the validity and truth in this belief, I have been called to unite with those who may be struggling and help them further continue their journey that God has provided for them, since each of us are children of God. This was further reinforced in an article written by Professor David Fagerberg, in which he discusses the light that faith can bring to one’s life. In the article he states, “ Everything is sacrament, everything speaks of God, nothing is ordinary, no one is ordinary, God can come through every experience, every neighbor is the face of God, every joy and sorrow can become a prayer” (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by David Fagerberg- Moreau FYE Week 3). This is truly powerful to me because it shows that faith can guide me to understand and see the truth in the belief that God is present in every person I encounter and every situation. This also shows that through faith I have the ability to recognize the uniqueness of each person. Similarly, this was discussed further in a Ted Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in which she stresses the importance of developing a well rounded perspective about another person, rather than using one characteristic as a major factor of judgement. In her discussion she states, “Power is not only the ability to tell the story of a person, but to make it the definitive story of the person” (“Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie- Moreau FYE Week 7). This idea further emphasizes the importance of recognizing and embracing the diversity of stories and the uniqueness that each human being on earth possesses. This truly inspired me to seek and appreciate the different qualities that others possess and further understand that one characteristic does not define a person. Therefore, I am able to move closer to discovering the truth through strengthening my faith and using my faith to recognize the beautiful uniqueness that is within each person on Earth. I have come to know that through strengthening my character, I am better able to give back and serve with others in creating a community of kinship. One major instance that truly provided a foundation for this belief was during one of the many school service trips I had at a homeless shelter in Kensington, Philadelphia. As we drove through Kensington, I was astounded by the sea of tents that lined the streets and the number of people who lived on the streets. When it came time to prepare and serve dinner, there https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story were lines of people waiting outside for a warm meal that they were long awaiting. Each time someone would come to the table, I would make it a point to greet them. However, one person stuck out in the crowd. I noticed an older asian woman who was waiting for her meal and appeared ill at ease. When she reached the serving table, I greeted her with a warm smile and she went from looking lonely to joyful. At that moment, I was overcome with this sense of joy and peace that my simple act could change her sense of belonging. This experience encouraged me to complete not only large scale acts of service, but also small acts of kindness throughout every aspect of my life. I have come to know that I have the responsibility to establish kinship and unity in my community, in order to establish a world where every person receives an equal chance to thrive. This can be applied to the idea of identifying influences that was discussed in Week 6 of Moreau FYE. I have realized that my perspectives have been shaped by a compilation of influences which have shaped my belief system. The experience at Sarnelli shaped my understanding of my purpose and therefore has provided a compass for me throughout my life. I have been able to bring this lesson as a student at Notre Dame, in which I have the ability to contribute to the unity that this university continues to enhance and I therefore should make a positive impact on the community. In Carla Harris’ Laetare Medalist Address, she states, “Your power lies not in who you are, but in whose you are” (2021 Laetare Medalist Address by Carla Harris- Moreau FYE Week 5). This shows me that my force for good, ultimately stems from God and I should therefore use my faith as a compass in creating unity in the world. I hope to continue this as a student at Notre Dame and cultivate unity in the Notre Dame community and also develop a deep appreciation for the strong bonds that the Notre Dame community holds. Therefore, through recognizing my purpose through faith, I have the ability to enact change and further my root belief in creating a community of kinship. My root beliefs are continuously strengthened through different experiences that have truly taught me important lessons that I will use for the rest of my life. Although I have many beliefs, my core beliefs involve creating life giving relationships, the pursuit of truth through faith, and my purpose in creating a community of kinship. I plan on continuing to strengthen these beliefs as a Notre Dame student and I hope that my experience in the Notre Dame community will help me develop even more root https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSwjn-SyB4 beliefs. Therefore, I aspire to use these root beliefs as a compass in determining my path for the future and also contributing to furthering goodness throughout the world.