Integration 3 Mr. Bryan Reaume FYS 10102 4 March 2022 - Defining a life well lived Thank you all for gathering here today to celebrate the memory and the life of Caleb Quick. He was a real upstanding member of society and one who will be dearly missed by all. Caleb consistently managed to find a balance between his work life and his real life. Caleb’s philosophy on this can best be described by a quote from author Pico Iyer. “The more time I spend away from my work, the better that work will be, most often.” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One). All who knew Caleb well can attest to how he made an effort to spend time on what really matters in life, his friends and family. A pleasant side effect of taking time to spend on the important things was that when he did work, his work was that much better. His impressive accomplishments through life demonstrate that. This aspect of his life, as well as many others, largely stemmed from his incredibly formative time at the University of Notre Dame. As Michael Sean Winters said in the Hesburgh documentary, “There is no job better for an American Catholic priest than being president of the University of Notre Dame.” (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two). The influence that Notre Dame has in the world can not be understated. It has an incredible power to do good because of its legacy. By being part of the legacy of such an esteemed institution, it really inspired him to try to do the Lord’s work and carry on the mission of Notre Dame by doing good in everything that he could. https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 The predominant way in which he tried to do this was through his career. His passion began at Notre Dame. He majored in mathematics and physics in college and then used that to go to graduate school and beyond. His passion really developed into a concrete path for his eventual career and his professional goals. While many of us here might not enjoy studying such theoretical concepts, those were his bread and butter. Anyone who knew him can attest that he was really in his element when working on physics. As the saying goes, “There is no “best major” out there - but there is a “best major for you.”” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meruelo Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four). I think we can all agree that he found that ‘best major for him’ which led him to a life where he never really worked a day in his life, because he loved his work. However, while he tried to do good through his work, the most important thing in Caleb’s life was to do good by being a virtuous person. As Father Michael Himes said, “One vocation embraces all our other vocations: to be a human being. We are called to be as intelligent, as responsible, as free, as courageous, and as imaginative, as loving as we can possibly be!” (“Three Key Questions” by Father Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three). He consistently tried to be the best that he could be. He was a kind and loving person and his actions were meaningful to everyone whose life he touched. While he would be the first to admit he still had room to grow, we can all agree that he was always sincere and always tried to do as Jesus commanded, to love your neighbor as yourself. As anyone who knew him could testify that he was always a welcoming person. He never wanted to exclude anyone. He always believed that everyone was special and everyone brought something unique to our shared table of life. If any of you have read the book Tattoos on the Heart by Father Gregory Boyle, you might remember a certain passage where Father Boyle tells https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40299/files/467258/download?download_frd=1 of his time on a prison island. The inmates came together and shared what little food they had to make a delicious iguana stew (“Tattoos on the Heart - Chapter 8 - Jurisdiction” by Father Gregory Boyle - Moreau FYE Week 7). I think this is a helpful image to describe what Caleb tried to bring about. When we all come together, we can do better than we could otherwise. This will only happen by being welcoming to all. Religion was a major part of his life. A devout Catholic, his faith was instrumental in shaping him as a person. He made an effort to always go to Sunday Mass and for a while, attended daily mass when he could. He said that a priest once told him that finding a deeper relationship with God can be found by attending daily mass and trying to see God in everything and everyone that you encounter each day (Week Five Discussion with Father Joe Kapora - Moreau FYE Week Five). What we can all take away from being witnesses to his life is that when you live your life in a constant search for God, while you never may really find all the answers, it will lead you to a life of satisfaction and fulfillment while also being a real blessing to everyone around you. That is what he was to all of us. One aspect of him that was always comforting was his constant cool-ness of mind. He always seemed to have his life together and never seemed particularly stressed. I once asked him about that and he responded that he was stressed often. The difference was that he dealt with it in a certain way. He said that he would always face the facts and then sort them out. This reminded me of a quote by psychologist Tasha Eurich. She said, “If you ask why, [I think] you’re putting yourself into a victim mentality.” (“The right way to be introspective (yes, there’s a wrong way)” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six). By facing the facts rather than getting lost in any emotions behind your predicaments, you can avoid clouding your judgment. This allows you to face your problems head-on and have a better grip on life. https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40299/files/523820?module_item_id=167949 https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ All in all, Caleb was a man that will be missed by all. He was an inspiration to everyone whose life he touched. He lived a special life and one that we will never forget. May his memory live on and God Bless. Word Count: 1060