Kindness ‘like a seed planted’

I am an atheist, before ND, after ND, and even now. Still, I took advantage of my time in ND, attending Masses in the Basilica, reading the Bible, and even listening in on a wedding planning session with the parents of an ND student. Those fresh experiences are invaluable for me. One ND philosophy professor once said to me, “Don’t give up just because there are so many religions in the world and it’s hard to tell the true one. Keep asking, keep seeking, and give them all a try if you can.”

His words are far reaching. I like my open-mindedness and how that benefits me when dealing with people from all kinds of backgrounds as part of my CPA job. I am also continuing exploring possibilities as one of my lifetime missions.

ND also teaches me to be kind and compassionate even to strangers, which is not taught in my culture. I will never forget the moment I accidentally spilled my lunch to the ground in Mendoza College’s salad shop. I was lamenting my failure to land a job at that time. I was under pressure. I was sad. The shop staff came, asked me if I was ok, and swept the food with no complaining. The cashier asked me again if I was ok and offered me a salad for free. This never happened before in my life. I was moved, wiping my tears while eating. There are many other examples. The warmth from the people I met at ND makes me feel that I am not alone in undertaking a long to-do list in my first year in the U.S, also my first and last year in ND.

All the kindness and care I received may be too common to mention for people in ND, but they are deeply cherished in my heart, like a seed planted. I am trying to be kind to others like how ND is kind to me. By the way, I never felt that level of warmth since I moved to California after graduation.

With only one year, ND has left a legacy in my character and more so in life planning. I am fortunate with the experience here and wish ND best and blessed.