Week 8- Integration One
Ms. Wagner
Moreau FYE
10/15/2021
Walking Through the Narrow Gate
1. I believe that choosing a harder path is better
I cannot say that this is something I have followed perfectly throughout my life. To point
out an obvious example, I am likely transferring out of engineering (For other reasons, not
difficulty, I should add). I can skip workouts or have too many cheat days, but in general I
usually try to “enter through the narrow gate” in life. The number one character trait the quiz
gave me, no matter how cynical of a view I have about those quizzes, was bravery, and I
speculate that my love of challenge and adventure is the reason for this. I also think that part of
choosing a harder path is being honest about yourself and your shortcomings. During week two,
David Brooks described the shortcomings of an “Adam 1” mindset, as he coined it, stating that,
“That (Adam I) turns you into a shrewd animal where you realize there’s a difference between
your desired self and your actual self (Should You Live for your Resume or Your Eulogy? by
David Brooks, TED - Moreau FYE Week 2).” Now being hypersensitive about yourself and all
of your inevitable failures is not healthy, but not actively trying to bridge the “difference between
your desired self and your actual self” in your day to day life is paramount to avoiding challenge
and escaping responsibility, and that view makes me somewhat different from Brooks and others.
In week 1 we talked about openness, and I questioned how much openness was beneficial
if you are sharing things you would be comfortable to share anyways, versus being open about
things you would not necessarily want to admit. Dr. Brown explained in her TED talk “They (her
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM
patients) didn’t talk about vulnerability being comfortable, they just talked about it being
necessary ("The Power of Vulnerability" by Brené Brown, TedxHouston - Moreau FYE Week
1)”. Perhaps being completely open about your lived experiences and feelings is what we should
strive for, but it seems shallower and less eye-opening to me than when someone really opens up
in a way that is genuine and courageous. This is an example of taking a more difficult route and
reaping the benefits above and beyond those you could get if you chose an easier way. There
have been enough times in my life where I have done the opposite and not reaped such rewards.
2. I believe that my life is better when you know the people around you
Even though it is not exactly meant to be applied to friendship, I want to start with
Fr.Fragerberg’s window/ mirror dichotomy metaphor. Most of us spend our time looking into a
mirror, focused on ourselves and our own concerns, when as Fragerberg notes, “Normally, I
should be able to see the real world around me, and the neighbor with whom I should be
concerned ( “Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by Professor David Fagerberg, Grotto- Moreau
FYE Week 3).” My question was how to switch the mirror into a window. My solution was to
find others who accept you and appreciate who you are. This means you will not have to focus
on your appearance and actively code switch, therefore learning to be an unaltered version of
yourself. This will free your attention towards others, returning the favor of their acceptance.
This has already been happening to me at Notre Dame, and it was something I was sorely
missing in high school. Just that contrast in experience has shown me how important friendship
is. Since arriving here, I have introduced myself and conversed with every person possible, not
realizing just how insightful in different ways those people are. It can be difficult to start these
conversations, but that goes back to walking the road of more resistance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&list=PLmiPsabET-W_hjesjTZaITh2s1WbM-Kd0&index=2
https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau
In my “Where I’m From” poem, I noted or implied multiple relationships in my piece. I
began with hockey, and the many friends I have made from my teammates, who always helped
improve. Next I wrote about the “two brothers I could never beat, (Moreau FYE Week 6)” who I
still look up to today, and then the incredible men I work with on the warehouse floor, most of
them are from Mexico and Bosnia, who have learned english on their own and have taught me
the craft so well. Of course my teammates and coworkers do not compare to my own brothers,
but all of these people have taught me so much that I never would have expected, and it is
usually the ones who you do not expect who will say just what you need to hear.
However, so many people would never listen and take the time to learn from people like
my coworkers or the person who passes them on the street, because they have already made up
their mind about them. We learned about the dangers of stereotyping from Chimamanda Ngozi
Adiche. Adiche said “The problem with stereotypes is that they do not tell the whole story, not
that they are necessarily wrong (“Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,
TED- Moreau FYE Week 7).” Had I already made up my mind to decide that a 50 year-old
Bonsian forklift driver, or a classmate who may not seem like somebody I would get along with,
I would never have had so many incredible experiences.
3. I believe that my religion still guides my moral compass
I noted how vital friendships are to my enjoyment of life, and especially my personal
growth, but it is really hard to build great relationships: friendly, romantic, or other. We saw a
great example of what happens when relationships do not have a strong moral bedrock in the
“Because I Love You” video. The narrator explains, “Because I love you, you deserve to know
what it feels like to be disrespected ("Because I Love You, Double Whiskey" by One Love
Foundation - Moreau FYE Week 4).” This person thinks they should be the center of the others’
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwQ5ur9OZ-g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwQ5ur9OZ-g
life, which is something that I try as hard as possible to avoid. They may have genuine love for
the other person, but they have no humility, which I noted in my week 4 QQC. Why was this the
first thing that came to mind, especially when humility is often forgotten by many, myself
included? This is because of my Biblical worldview. I want to build my relationships in a way
that Jesus did, by putting others’ needs before my own, as he washed the disciples’ feet, despite
the fact that he was quite literally the most important person to walk the Earth.
Carla Harris’s use of Scripture in her speech was inspiring; so much so that it began to
give me chills. Relating to humility even quoted a passage from Phillipians entitled Christ’s
Example of Humility. One more example of how Christian faith drives how I, Carla Harris, and
many others view the world around us. Harris quotes Matthew 6:33, and she explains that “This
verse means to call upon His wisdom, and the more you ask for his help, then the more you will
come to know His voice ("2021 Laetare Medalist Address" by Carla Harris - Moreau FYE Week
5).” People and stories like Carla Harris’s are a reason for why I believe that. Her faith guided
her to incredible heights. It can do the same for the rest of the world. I often wonder why this is
still a core belief, but that is because when I make decisions based on faith, they seldom turn out
poorly, no matter how many times I try other options first. It once more goes back to choosing a
harder path. The moral, faith based decision is often difficult; more often than not I do not make
that decision, but when I do then the effect it has on my day, week, and life is profound.
https://youtu.be/UjSwjn-SyB4