Moreau Final Integration Moreau FYE Integration 11 March 2022 My Goal: Live A Lively, Loving, and Laughable Life After spending time reflecting and thinking about the beginning of my college journey, I never realized how important my Moreau class was for my self-discovery. Each week, Moreau enabled me to take a step back from my life and truly think about my future in a different and more thoughtful way. Even though it wasn’t always easy to reflect and reconsider, as Sister Aletheia said, “suffering and death are facts of life; focusing only on the “bright and shiny” is superficial and inauthentic…but it’s actually in facing the darkest realities of life that we find light in them” (“Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die” by Ruth Graham-Moreau FYE Week 3). As I continued to do the readings and assignments each week, every one of them had an impact on me, allowing me to have a more clear picture of who I want to be in the future as well as who I am currently. While I am definitely still figuring my life out, with the help of Moreau, I have a better understanding of myself, others, as well as the person that I want to try and become as I continue to grow and learn more about myself. For my last integration assignment, I would love to share my personal mission statement, as well as how I think it is going to help me pursue the best life possible. Pico Iyer quotes, “It’s only by stepping farther back and standing still that we can begin to see what that canvas (which is our life) really means, and to take in the larger picture.” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer-Moreau FYE Week 1). Especially during a time where the world is moving so quickly, it is crucial that we take the time to step back and truly see the importance of our lives. By doing this, each individual will have a more clear perspective about how to progress forward in the most effective, loving, and thoughtful way possible. My current mission statement is as follows: As a nineteen-year-old girl trying to thrive and survive in a difficult world, I have learned the importance of one incredibly influential thing: kindness. Kindness is a whisper that shouts, especially in the world that we live in today. I believe it is a duty that must be implemented into everyday life in order to grow in love for oneself and for others. Growing up, my mom always reminded me that “people will not remember what you say, but they will remember how you made them feel.” With this in mind, it is my goal to live my life trying to spread kindness as often as I can to the people around me. I am going to strive to constantly wear kindness in the corners of my smile, working to create a better world by being a good steward of the gifts that God gave to me. Along with kindness, inclusivity remains one of my most pertinent and essential goals. No matter who you are, what you believe in, or what you set out to do, everyone should have someone in their corner, working to build them up instead of tearing them down. We are all people with one thing in common: each other. If I can do my job right, I will leave the world more unified than divided. Believe, dream, and achieve. We all can do something. It does not take a lot to have the courage to make a difference for the better in the world. No matter how small it may be, it is still acting with courage which, in the end, will make a lasting difference. I should not be quiet in a world where silence is a killer, but rather use my voice to advocate and make change. Having the courage to unite others, be kind, inclusive, and advocate for oneself and others is what I believe will ultimately change the world. (Writing a personal mission statement-Moreau FYE Week 13) Reflecting on this statement, I have realized that there is a lot more to my mission in life than these 318 words. While I do believe everything that I have written above, I also believe that I need to be a better advocate on behalf of my words, instead of remaining silent in a world that is yearning for change. After reading Dean G. Marcus Cole’s story, I realized the importance of using my voice instead of remaining silent in our world. He specifically quotes, “I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something” (Dean G. Marcus Cole Text-Moreau FYE Week 12). His words inspired me to begin to advocate for change in the world, by expanding my mindset and working to get to know others who are different than I am. “In surrounding ourselves with people who agree with us, we’re losing our sense of how someone might reasonably disagree which is accelerating political polarization” (“How to Avoid an Echo Chamber” by Dr. Paul Blaschko-Moreau FYE Week 11). While it is important to have friends with the same motivations, morals, and goals as you, it is also important to expand from these people, creating and establishing friendships with those who open you up to worldly possibilities. It is through these friendships that new possibilities will arise, instead of being shut down by only behaving a certain way. An Echo chamber was defined as “a social structure from which relevant voices have been actively discredited and can lock us into certain world views.” Just as the video explained, locking myself into this bubble is often more harmful than helpful to me. Moving forward, I am going to try and focus on stepping outside of my comfort zone in order to expand my friendships, be vulnerable, and gain a greater world perspective by being open to new ideas and perspectives. Furthermore, I would like to do a better job of integrating my relationship with God into my personal mission statement in life. Oftentimes, I lose sight of the comfort of God, abandoning the relationship that we have together when it should be at the forefront of my mind. I often ask myself the question, “If God is good, why does he allow suffering in my life?” (“5 Minutes” by Aria Swarr-Moreau FYE Week 6). The reading in week 10 helped me look at this question in a different way, leaving my blame for God behind me. While “You can’t convince yourself God loves you, you can ask Him to show you” (“Growing Up Gay and Catholic” by Jacob Walsh-Moreau FYE Week 10). In order to pursue a life well-lived, I am going to try and have more confidence in myself, trusting that God loves me for me, instead of trying to change myself to be someone who I think God wants me to be. I need to look at our relationship as a judgment free zone where I have room to both grow and develop. I should not lead my life with the intentions of “God wants me to do this so that is why I should,” but rather work to do things because it is the kind and right thing to do. “They did not see their caring for me as a grand gesture of generosity; they simply did, in the moment, what needed to be done” (“A Learning Journey Together” by Professor Steve Reifenberg-Moreau FYE Week 9). This dynamic was evident in Professor Steve’s story as the children cared for him because they knew that it was the right thing to do, not for personal gain. With this in mind, the journey of Father Hesburgh rings true in my mind. He specifically said, “My basic principle is that you don’t make decisions because they are cheap; you make them because they’re right” (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley-Moreau FYE Week 2). After watching the movie, Hesburgh, I was able to see the importance of making decisions for the right reasons, even when it may not always be the easiest. Finally, I would like to discuss my mission statement in regards to pursuing my passions and executing them in the best way possible in order to make the most out of my life. I am not going to lie, this year I have struggled trying to find my way. I have been unsure about the direction that I want to go, and worried that I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing. Luckily, through Moreau, I was able to have a conversation with my mom which brought clarity and hope about my future. My mom knows me better than anyone, so talking with her about my goals and dreams enabled me to have both hope and courage that I am going in the right direction. She said that she would always be there to support me no matter what happens because she loves me more than anything (Discernment Conversion Activity-Moreau FYE Week 5). After hearing my mom say these tangible words, I took comfort in the fact that she has faith and trust in how I am living my life. With this in mind, I realized that the relationships that I have cultivated and created are very important to me in life. I derive a lot of meaning and energy from the people that I surround myself with, so I am incredibly grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life. Pope Francis said, “The future is made of yous, it is made of encounters, because life flows through our relations with others… each and everyone’s existence is deeply tied to that of others” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis-Moreau FYE Week 7). The relationships that I have built and continue to build with others are what keep me going and enable me to be the best version of myself. Overall, I realized the importance of giving myself a break. I am still young, so I should not be angry at myself for not knowing what I want to do in life. “Planning your career is much like planning for a trip…It’s not a one step process” (“Navigating your Career Journey”-Moreau FYE Week 4). There are many steps that I need to take, mistakes I need to make, and life lessons I need to learn before I know exactly who I want to be and what I want to do.