Moreau Integration III Rauguth 1 Professor Cathrine Wagner FYS 10102 4 March, 2022 A Lasting Impact Although I may be writing this eulogy at a very young age, much of my core beliefs and graditutes have been set and thus, I believe the only additions I’ll have to make are thanks to those who had helped me along the way. As we lose the ones who are close to us, we begin to realize it was that person's character, their spirit, which always made our time with them so great, perhaps not simply a physical presence. For when they are gone we still retain their impacts on us as it was their character which had impacted us, not their physical being. From the way we carry ourselves to our acts of justice and kindness, we are showing others who we are as a person, as our choices are a direct correlation to our beliefs. For this reason I want to be remembered as an inspiration, an example, in which people can follow if they’d like to live a life well-lived. In order to lead by example, thus be an inspiration for those pursuing a life well-lived we first need to know what one may look like. First and foremost there is balance, balance within your life is key in order to keep your physical and mental health as in good condition as possible for as long as possible. Maintaining good health in my opinion is vital for living a life well lived. In week one of the moreau Iyer Pico stated that “this is going to be a very busy day. I won’t be able to meditate for an hour … I’ll have to meditate for two”(Week 1). With our mind also being a muscle we must make sure to take time and recover all of our muscles to make sure we maintain that balance within our lives. Not only do we want to maintain a balance in our physical bodies but we also need to have a balance in our surroundings as well, which is where diversity comes into play. Diversity, whether that is “differences of culture, religion, and conviction can co-exist with friendship, civility and even love”(Week 2). As demonstrated in week two, it is crucial for us to explore many walks of life as it allows us to bridge the gap dividing the different cultures. When we are able to accept others while also expressing our individuality we are able to influence each other's lives, leaving us both with a positive insight that we would have never encountered otherwise. Learning from others is the only way we are able to develop as humans which is why the final aspect of living a life well-lived is to keep an open mind. “The humility to hear what we are good at and the humility to hear what we are not good at is enormously important”(Week 3) as this is what allows us to reconsider our own actions and potentially change them for the greater good. A life well-lived is not only determined from a single perspective, but a collection of perspectives which have been gathered by those around you. Having an open mind is what allows us to live a balanced life because without it we are straying further from our roots of what it means to be a social creature. By keeping in mind what it means to live a life well-lived we are able to act in ways which lead us to that fulfillment of a life well lived. As we become older we gain more Rauguth 2 opportunities to try things you may not have tried before such as a new skill or activity. This is why keeping an open mind is so important because with time you have more and more experiences with others which helps you widen your perspective on the wide range of possibilities and opportunities. As discussed in week four, “career decision making is a developmental process that spans a person’s entire lifetime”(Week 4), which I believe is largely due to the fact that with our limited time, we will never be able to truly experience everything. This is why I believe trying as much as possible is a good practice to have leading you to a life well-lived. Although having an open mind will give you the best chances of experiencing as much as possible, there will always be obstacles which may seem to put a hold on you living your life. No one ever looks forward to encountering obstacles, but if we were to never encounter them, then we would never be able to realize the many things that we take for granted in our lives. “I was always so focussed on what I could not do…but then I began to realize that some of the things that I could do can be a blessing to some others.”(Week 6) This quote from week six brings out exactly why encountering obstacles is so important as it allows us that time to reflect on things we may take for granted in our lives. A key part to living a life well-lived is to believe yourself that your life is worth living which goes hand and hand with being grateful for the blessings that we have in our lives. Now I know so far this may not seem like the typical eulogy listing all of the accomplishments I want to be remembered for, but what it has been are the aspects in which I have implemented into my life that I would want to be remembered for. The reflection exercise that we did in week five really made me realize it's not my accomplishments that I want to be remembered for but it's who I was as a person. I want to be remembered for always keeping an open mind, for I was always seeking advice from others in order to improve myself. I want to be remembered as someone who wasn't afraid to diversify themselves, someone who surrounded themselves with a variety of people and communities. I want to be remembered as someone who was able to maintain a balance, not of just mental and physical health, but a balanced lifestyle. I want to be remembered as a role model not only to those around me, but to all those who also seek to live a life well-lived. But mostly importantly I want to be remembered for how I used my influence. I quote that I found in week seven states, “through humility and concrete love, power becomes a service, a force for good”(Week 7). To be remembered for how I used my influence among those around me to better the lives of others would be among my greatest wishes as through this alone I have used my life to set a positive example for those around me, which to me is a life well-lived. Citations ("Why we need to slow down our lives" , by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) ("Hesburgh Video" , Produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O'Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two) ("Three Key Questions" , by Father Micheal Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three) https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40253/files/467215?module_item_id=142974 Rauguth 3 ( “Navigating Your Career Journey”, by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four) ("The Grotto: Why does God allow suffering?", by Aria Swarr - Moreau FYE Week Six) (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone”, by His Holiness Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week Seven) https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/transform/why-does-god-allow-suffering/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript