Integration 3 3/2/22 Integration 3 My Two Lives, the One I have Lived and the One to Come In writing my own eulogy, I decided to divide things up into two parts, the first being the life that I have already lived and the second being the life I hope to live before my time comes. I am doing this because currently my life has not been the most impactful, but at only nineteen years old, not many lives have been. My first life has been filled with youthful milestones, and following the natural progression my parents pushed me towards. Finishing elementary school, then middle school, and eventually high school were all expected of me. These are not achievements that carried much weight in my mind. To me, the biggest accomplishments were the ones that were unexpected and I had to work towards. When speaking with a close friend we both agreed that what I valued most were the achievements that did not come easy. My acceptance to Notre Dame, Graduating as Salutatorian of my high school, placing in the wrestling state championship, these were the things that I took the most pride in (Conversation with George, February 3, 2022, Week 5). However, for most of high school I was constantly working, whether that was towards school, athletics, or my actual job, and I never gave myself time to just take a deep breath. In order to achieve some of my goals I thought I had to constantly be working or else I'd fall behind. Looking back on that, and comparing to where I am now, I’ve learned that taking pauses are such an important part of a healthy lifestyle. During my senior year of high school I started to realize the effect social media and constantly working had on my mental health. After noticing this I started to embrace the idea of taking a pause every day. I took little breaks, meditated, and ultimately put myself first. This idea resonated in week one when we discussed Pico Iyer's TED talk, and specifically how technology has made it increasingly difficult to relax. ("Why We Need to Slow Down Our Lives" by Pico Iyer - Week 1) Where I currently am in life is an interesting place where a lot of important decisions have to be made to determine what occurs in my next life. Decisions such as my major, which classes I want to take, what career path I want to pursue all have to be made. I recently had a meeting with my academic counselor evaluating what path I want to follow and we essentially discussed the Three Questions Fr. Himes mentions in “Three Key Questions”("Three Key https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/files/469291/download?download_frd=1 Questions" by Fr. Michael Himes - Week 3). We talked about where I want to be in the future, and what I see myself doing for work and whether I think I’ll be happy doing that. I have also looked into the career development center to decide which future career I may think about pursuing. Currently, I am planning on attending law school and pursuing a career as a lawyer. I came to this conclusion and got a better general sense of it while reading the Navigating Your Career Journey article("Navigating Your Career Journey" by Moreau First Year Experience - Week 4). However, I still cannot know for certain what the future holds for me. Likes, passions, and interests can all change especially during these next three years of school. Looking at my future self, I have hope that my life is filled with many things I have become proud of. I hope one day I do find a job that I enjoy and find success in, I hope I end up happily married, and I hope I have kids to call my own. Overall, I hope I leave an impact long after I have passed. This is the message that resonated with me after watching Hesburgh and seeing everything that Fr. Hesburgh achieved in his life (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christen O’Malley - Week 2). While my future accomplishments might not be as grand as those of Fr. Hesburgh, I do believe that I can make a difference in the lives of many. Most importantly I want to be a good father. For me, if I only get to accomplish one thing in life I would choose being a good father and raising my kids with all the love I can give. In my opinion that is the most important thing a person can do in their lifetime, and it leaves a lasting impression on the world. After that, I hope I can help others by means of my occupation. Potentially by doing pro-bono jobs if I do end up as a lawyer. After reading and learning about Fr. Boyle in Tattoos on the Heart, I gained a new respect for those who are willing to give for others in less fortunate scenarios ("Tattoos on the Heart" by Fr. Greg Boyle - Week 7). I do hope one day I can affect the lives of other families in a way Fr. Boyle has because it would be a way for me to give other kids a chance to have a loving and caring mom or dad. Maybe it would save a life, or free an innocent man. I can not yet know what the future will hold but I am certain that I will want to give back. All the talk of my future comes with much uncertainty, but it also comes with internal dedication. While life can drastically change at any given moment, I will not change my will to help others. In “5 Minutes” by Aria Swarr, I heard of a life altering sudden event in the life of Dr. Kim. A fun trip snowboarding with friends took away Dr. Kim’s ability to walk, but it did not take away his ability to live, love, or pursue his dreams ("5 Minutes" by Aria Swarr, Grotto - Week 6). This was a really beautiful story to me and I hope a similar dedication to life shows in https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/files/469291/download?download_frd=1 https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/files/523981/download?download_frd=1 https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/transform/why-does-god-allow-suffering/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 my future regardless of what I have to face. I hope that no matter what circumstances I am put into I know God has set me on my own path. I hope that I will always remember to live and love no matter what life throws at me, because those are the parts of life that make it worth living. The love we feel towards each other, our families, spouses, and God is why we can overcome the tough times and it is something that I hope will always stay with me regardless of what the future may bring.