Your Voice Counts!

I wouldn’t consider Greg Mortenson’s experience on K2 to be a failure. Though he did not climb the mountain like he had initially planned, he still had an experience that lasted a lifetime and drove him to a life of service for others that most people simply would not pursue.I think Mortenson’s climb would have been a failure if no good came out of it, if he just went home and gave up on everything.

If there is anything I’ve learned while attending Fairfield University, and in life in general, it is that nobody ever achieved anything while staying in their comfort zone, and Mortenson is proof of that. If you want something, go after it with your fullest effort because only when you commit to something will you find out if it’s right for you. If you have a passion for something, pursue it. If you have a cause, fight for it. And if you find that your purpose in life lies somewhere else, do not hesitate to change your course. Nobody’s always right, so don’t be afraid to change, but don’t be afraid to make a decision either.

I noticed that throughout the book that climbing K2 is continually referred to as a failure. Like many experiences that you will have during college (and in life) they are greatly dependent upon the perspective you hold. The “failure” that Greg Mortenson associates with K2 would be the beginning of success in educating thousands of students in one of the poorest and politically volatile regions of the world. Mortenson’s example compels us to always look for opportunity amongst what might initially appear to be an overwhelming obstacle.

Do you agree or disagree with the definition “failed attempt” a failure? Share your thoughts by leaving a response below.

Greg Mortensen asks a key Ignatian question, “How am I called to make a difference in the world?” Three Cups of Tea is not only a story of one man’s work in making a difference but a journey of discernment where he finds the best use of his unique talents. Mr. Mortensen’s journey has been a lifelong journey that has continued through a lifetime of searching for where his talents, skills and passions would best serve the world.

As entering new students to Fairfield University, you have a unique opportunity to enter a learning community that will empower a journey to find your calling. In this community, you also have a responsibility – a duty really to realize your own potential, to share your passions and to make a difference in the lives of those you touchVery few of us will build schools in Pakistan; however, we can all make life a bit easier, a bit better and a lot stronger in our immediate communities

We can approach every interaction we have with others as a moment of sacredness. We can take the time to truly listen to the dreams, fears, hopes and anxieties of our new roommates, floormates and classmates. We can share our most authentic selves by sharing with courage our curiosities, our values and our traditions. We can be open to the experiences of others without judgment but with love and empathy. Mortensen’s question is inherently Ignatian because he asks us to consider how we are called to serve for the greater glory of God.

When you arrive at Fairfield, how will you BE? How will you explore your passions? How will discover your talents? How will you serve others? How will you be open to the lives of others you meet? And most importantly, how will you BE and DO in your community?

Welcome to Fairfield University and thank you for the difference you will make in our community

Deborah Cady Melzer, Ph.D
Dean of Student Development

Failure can be interpreted in different ways. Kristin Brown, an RA from Campion Hall interprets failure in her way…

I don’t think I would consider Mortenson’s “failed attempt” at climbing K2 to be a failure at all. It is amazing that he made it that far at all and so much good came out of all the “failures” that occurred during that climbing expedition. It’s interesting the even the village he built the school for, he only came across because he took a wrong path and became lost. Sometimes mistakes are what need to be made in order to figure out how to do something, or what to do. There are so many people who come to Fairfield with something set in their mind, like in the case of Mortenson, climbing K2. At Fairfield often students enter as freshmen with a specific goal in mind like becoming a doctor or a lawyer. Often it is failures in areas like that, which allow students to discover what path is right for them. At Fairfield don’t be afraid to take different classes, or explore new things. You never know what wrong turn, could actually be the path that could change your life forever.

Everything happens for a reason and it is important to make mistakes in order to learn from them. Failure is a necessary part of life and of college. It is important to remember all of the failed K2 expeditions in life and remember all of the schools that can be built because of them.

What’s your definition of failure? Share your thoughts by clicking on the Comments link, below.

As you finish reading 3 Cups of Tea and prepare to begin your 4 year “climb” at Fairfield, I encourage you to take the time to reflect upon how this book relates to your future at Fairfield University.

Mortenson was a man struggling to find his true passion in life. He knew what he liked, but he wanted to know what gave purpose to his life. He found it while getting lost hiking down a mountain. As you enter Fairfield this fall, you will be presented with many experiences within the classroom, your residence halls and within the greater Fairfield Community. As you engage in these opportunities, try to discover your true passion. I hope you use the next four years to discover YOUR PURPOSE

Have you had the A-HAH moment that led you to change direction in your life? Share your story by clicking on the Comments link, below.