Your Voice Counts!

Reading this book completely changed my view of the conflicts in that area. I have never ever been interested in politics, and find it very confusing on the news when they discuss the war and what is going on in Iraq or Afghanistan. The conflict between Pakistan and India I didn’t even know existed! “Three Cups of Tea” helped me see the conflict on a very understandable human level. Greg Mortenson truly believes that this conflict can start to be resolved though education, that Al Quaeda dropping bombs was not an event out of the blue, but a horrible pattern that has been occuring for centuries - because the people are uneducated and violence is all they know.

I feel so badly for the children thrown into those training schools, knowing no other life than that of war. It is a problem that can start to be resolved on the most basic level, though education. While here in America we are required to attend school, over there the schools don’t even exist! But what I saw as very inspiring was that many of the leaders, even the most feared and violent, really want education for their villages! I think what Dr. Greg has started is a wonderful program that can truly change the world one child, one school at a time, and start to bring peace to a very troubled part of our world.

By reading the story, do you think the book change the way you view the conflicts in this part of the world? 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

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.

When asked, “Do you agree or disagree with the definition of ‘failed attempt’ by Mortenson?” Caitlin Scully, an RA from Gonzaga Hall responded in this way…

It is hard to say whether I agree or disagree with Mortenson’s definition of his failed attempt because it is about personal goals or dreams, and nobody has the right to judge another’s goals and dreams; we should only encourage and inspire others to do great things. My initial feeling is that although he did not reach his goal, which could be seen as a failure (especially in his eyes), he put his best effort into it and took a risk, from which he learned about himself and the challenges he might face in the future.

When you are in a situation and do not accomplish something at which you are working hard, it is frustrating and often, we feel as if we have failed. But, that is not the greatest perspective we can take on in hard situtations. The fact that Mortenson in this case, set a high goal and decided to take a risk and pursue that dream, shows great character, strength, and self-confidence. Sometimes we get may get stuck at a rocky place, and as one of my English professors used to say, “we cannot see the forest through the trees.” Looking at the big picture, you have gained so much by putting yourself out there, and you allowed others to see that side of you as well. To me, that is not failing. Immediate outcomes are often hard to see past, but taking a step back, allows us to flip the feelings of failure for feelings of pride and success for trying new things, for putting yourself out there. Read the rest of this entry »