Peggy Hnatusko Moreau First Year Experience 4 March 2022 One Man Can Change the World: ’s Eulogy “Live your life as if you know your dreams cannot fail.” It is safe to say that Alexander “Tiki” Stanton Wackowski lived by this motto. From visiting city after city, to working hard, Tiki created the perfect balance in his life, leaving little time for sleep and a lot of time for fun. His story, however, is far from over. Tiki believed that his story would be defined by the impact he made on other people’s lives. Tiki was not satisfied with being just another “Average Joe.” He wanted every life he came across to be touched by his presence. In moments of darkness, Tiki used his positive light as a guide for not only himself but others as well. His loving, hard working side was inspired by his mother. His fierce competitive nature was inspired by his father. Each and every one of his siblings motivated him to be a lover and protector. As a baby, Tiki was given the nickname “Mr. Sunshine” because it is said that he could light up a room with his smile. The name has stuck with him because he tried to use my light to positively affect the lives of those around me. Tiki was gifted with an innate ability to want to help others. In his efforts to shed light on the lives of those around me, however, he was often told: “One man cannot change the world.” Throughout his life, he endeavored to prove this statement wrong. Tiki took away many lessons during his lifetime. Just a few of them are listed below: Life moves incredibly fast. Before you know it, you are all grown up and left to figure things out on your own. In life, it is truly important to slow down and take a break. It is very easy to get wrapped up in finding success, which is great and should be applauded; however, a never-ending chase for success can cause one to lose sight of what is truly important: quality time with family and friends, stable mental and physical health, and so much more. This chase for success frequently has many adverse side-effects: stress, anxiety, depression, etc. As with everything in life, it is important to create a balance in order to maintain relationships, health, and more. Without this balance – regardless of the levels of success that can be achieved – life can drive many to a breaking point. (" Why we need to slow down our lives " by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) As a lifelong Notre Dame fan, Tiki was inspired by Father Hesburgh and his lifelong commitment to service to the world’s people and the Catholic Church. In the very last line of the movie Hesburgh, Father Hesburgh stated, “Let us all ponder the words of our good Lord: Whatever you do to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me” (" Hesburgh " - Moreau FYE Week Two). In accordance with Father Hesburgh’s statement, one part of the Notre Dame mission statement reads, “The aim is to create a sense of human solidarity and concern for the common good that will bear fruit as learning becomes service to justice”. One of Father Hessburgh’s greatest attributes was his ability to use the resources he had in order to act on his faith and do good unto others. The latter half of Father Hesburgh’s statement is taken from Matthew 25:40, which calls upon all followers of God to do service not only for their brothers and sisters, but for God as well. Throughout Tiki’s life, he frequently reminded himself that he only lives once. In accordance with the famous acronym “YOLO,” Tiki lived life with no regrets, remembering that https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149873 he only had one shot at this life, and that his life was meant to be joyful. Many of the decisions he made in life were based on the simple questions, “Where am I headed, [and] where do I want to end up?” (" Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die " by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week Three). Frequently, humans are posed with many decisions that can be detrimental to our futures. Whenever he found himself in situations where he was forced to make a difficult decision, he asked himself “Where am I headed, [and] where do I want to end up?” These questions are part of the reason he decided to come to the University of Notre Dame. In his decision to come Notre Dame, he took into consideration how prestigious of a university it is and their boundless drive to serve others. He always hoped that at some point in his life, he could do well enough to help not only himself and his family, but his community and the world around him. He believed that he should act in a way that (i.) brings myself joy, (ii.) brings out the best in me, and (iii.) brings others joy. Tiki always believed that diversity of interest was beautiful and essential to the prosperity of the world. He understood that not all humans are the same: what he enjoyed was completely different from what many other people enjoy. His skill set was completely different from the skill set of many others. This is neither good nor bad, but it does teach us one, very important lesson: a life well lived-looks different for everyone, and that is why it is so important for each person to test the waters, experience life, find their passions, and most importantly, follow their passions. Without following your passions and doing what you love, life can become bland, meaningless, and hopeless; so, do what you love” (" Navigating Your Career Journey ” by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four). During his freshman year of college, Tiki had a very meaningful conversation with his roommate, Evan. In this conversation, Evan gave him the opportunity to ask him questions and https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ was gracious in his responses: Evan made Tiki feel special and like he made an impact on the lives of others around him. Here is a brief summary of their interaction, as documented by Tiki. Evan told Tiki that he held an immense value on loyalty. This is so because he gave loyalty to those he loved, and expected the same loyalty in return. Additionally, Evan told Tiki that he was at his best whenever Tiki was out, making connections with others. Evan noticed that he found Tiki at peak happiness whenever he was in social situations and around people that he loved. Most notably, Evan told Tiki that it is in my nature to care about others and their needs, and that one of his biggest priorities was putting a smile on the face of others. (Discernment Conversation Activity - Moreau FYE Week Five) Tiki seriously believed in the power of positivity. In times of struggle, it is very easy to complain. During these teams, it appears as if it is in the nature of humans to blame other people or things for their problems. Despite human beings’ natural tendency to develop a negative attitude in times of distress, if humans work to remain positive, positive results are more likely to come about. This idea is a reflection of the famous statement, “If you believe it, it will happen.” Nothing in life is ever achieved without a sense of belief in oneself. All human beings face adversity; with this being said, it is not always about the adversity faced, but rather the response to the adversity faced. When responding with a positive attitude, the possibilities for success are endless! Tiki believed that if you believed something, it could happen! (“ 5 Minutes ” by Aria Swarr - Moreau FYE Week Six) Finally, and arguably most importantly, Tiki seriously did believe that he had the power to make a positive impact on the world. He believed that for human beings, it is important to keep in mind that one singular being truly can have an impact on the lives of others. Often, people see themselves as hopeless individuals because they do not believe that they have the https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/transform/why-does-god-allow-suffering/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 capacity to make an impact on the world. People get wrapped up in their own bubbles and fail to see the impact they can make on the lives of others. However, every moment we spend on Earth we are making an impact. People can make an impact on their small circles and their impact on the world can be exponential: if an individual works to make an impact on their community, that impact can be spread from one individual to another, and the world can change a great deal. Ultimately, he believed that this impact has the power to develop relationships, create a better world for those living in the present, and to create a better future. (“ Why the only future worth building includes everyone ” by Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Week Seven) His life led him to one profound acclamation: ONE MAN CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. 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