Moreau Integration #2 Richardson 1 Professor Taylor FYS 10101-31 30 November 2021 The Most Transformative Four Months of My Life: My Growth at Notre Dame Thus Far In my first semester here at the University of Notre Dame, I have grown as a person. I have grown more mature in living on my own for the first time and taking on the various responsibilities associated with doing so. I have become more selfless and willing to compromise through the rewarding experience I have had of living in a quad with three roommates (as opposed to home, where I am an only child and have always had a room to myself). I have also become more aware of my true desires in life, which include my desire to make positive changes within my community and the world during my time here at Notre Dame and beyond. This semester has provided me with lots of learning opportunities, both academically and personally, and the Moreau First Year Experience has provided me with both. This semester has afforded me the opportunity to consider what I want from life. I have often lived my life based on others’ expectations of me. In high school, that felt particularly true as I constantly tried to live up to various teachers’ expectations of me. However, now, in college, I have had the chance to consider what my own expectations of myself are. I have always been a people-pleaser, and I probably will be for a very long time, but I am trying to only place my own expectations upon me and to be more patient with myself and forgiving of myself. In accordance with what Julia Hogan says in her article “Why Letting Go of Expectations is a Freeing Habit”, disappointing others has always felt crushing to me because I have been measuring my success Richardson 2 according to others’ metrics (“Why Letting Go of Expectations is a Freeing Habit” by Julia Hogan - Moreau FYE Week 9). Now, I am trying to define my success by my own metrics more so I will feel more fulfilled. This semester, I have considered what I want from life, and my desire to help resolve certain problems facing my community in my home state of Kentucky and the world at large has strengthened. There are numerous difficulties facing every community, including the Notre Dame community, and unfortunately, I cannot solve all of them. However, even trying to solve one problem is worthy work. By trying to bridge gaps between people and facilitate conversations between people who might have many differences, problems can be approached and solved. However, this is only possible if people are willing to cooperate with each other. Like Parker J. Palmer describes in his article “Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community”, it is not required or reasonable to expect that everyone in a community will become extremely close with each other, but people in a community need to be connected by some common value, object, space, or other concept in order for the community to function and prosper and in order for the challenges facing that community to be resolved (“Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community” by Parker J. Palmer - Moreau FYE Week 11). At home in Kentucky, I hope to help facilitate conversations regarding healthcare inequity within my home state. People in Eastern Kentucky lack affordable, quality healthcare compared to the more plentiful healthcare resources available in Central and Western Kentucky. Part of this is due to a lack of infrastructure in Eastern Kentucky, with all of Kentucky’s quality research hospitals in the Central or Western parts of the state and with many areas in Eastern Kentucky even lacking internet service, which eliminates the possibility of Telehealth visits, as well. I want to help resolve this healthcare disparity by https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau http://couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/13-ways-of-looking-at-community/ Richardson 3 advocating for improved infrastructure and the construction of quality research hospitals in Eastern Kentucky. I hope to facilitate or promote conversations between the citizens of Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky’s State Government so their voices can be heard on this matter. By advocating for this connection and this conversation to occur, I hope to make a positive impact on my community. In addition to wanting to make a positive impact on my community, I want to continue to seek what God’s will is for me. This extends not only to my time here at Notre Dame but beyond graduation, as well. Here at Notre Dame, I have already faced numerous challenges, such as rigorous coursework, but God has seen me through it all as He always has in my life and always will. In challenging times, as long as I consider what God wants me to do and I do my best to do His will, even when it is challenging, I will succeed. As C.S. Lewis wrote in “The Screwtape Letters”, “Our (the demons’) cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.” (“The Screwtape Letters” Chapter 8 by C.S. Lewis - Moreau FYE Week 12). By obeying God’s will even in the most difficult of times, we can triumph over evil and overcome any obstacles that face us because God will see us through them. This can be applied to when we seek to solve problems facing our communities, as well. We must trust in God when encountering personal and community problems, and we must always face those problems with love. As Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C. wrote in the “Wesley Theological Seminary 2012 Commencement Address”, “Love is the greatest commandment — and hatred is at the heart of the greatest sins.” (“Wesley Theological Seminary 2012 Commencement Address” by Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C. - Moreau https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/28222/files/189463/download?download_frd=1 https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ Richardson 4 FYE Week 10). The only way to get someone to see or understand an opposing viewpoint is to approach them and treat them with love always. Treating others with love, even those with whom we strongly disagree, is one of God’s commandments. In order to do His will, we need to treat others with love as He does. I have always known the importance of treating others with love and kindness, but my interactions with others in my time thus far at Notre Dame, especially with those with vastly different backgrounds or beliefs from mine, have strengthened my conviction of this fact. In my Moreau class, when we have discussed the challenges facing the United States today, I have learned about others’ viewpoints, which I have been able to add to my own, including those regarding the widespread racial discrimination present in our country today. I have also learned more about others’ viewpoints in discussions of classic texts such as Dante’s Inferno in my Glynn Family Honors Program Humanities Seminar class. I have greatly enjoyed these discussions and found them greatly insightful and helpful because through them, I have learned more about others’ beliefs and have been able to consider opposing viewpoints that contrast with my own. By approaching these people with love, I have been able to see their points of view, and they have been able to see mine when I have shared mine. By approaching others with love, I am able to have more meaningful and insightful conversations with them and can try to see them and treat them as God would. In the future, I hope to continue to reflect upon my desires in life, upon ways I can better serve my community (including the Notre Dame community), and upon God’s will for my life. I will continue to approach others with love and understanding in my heart as we have difficult conversations regarding the challenges facing our world today. By doing so, we can have a patient and productive conversation and can begin to resolve today’s problems.