8. Way of the Seal pages 22-29

 Part 1. Build Your Stand 

- What would I do if I knew I only had one year to live? 

If I knew I only had one year left to live, I would want to travel. I would want to see different places like London, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, or Paris. I would want to look at all the different cultures around the globe and learn what little I can from them in whatever time I have left. But I would also want to spend as much time with my family and loved ones as I could. I would want to go visit them, or have them accompany me as I try to visit all these places. I would want to make a list of all the things I wanted to do, and try to cross off as many items as I could, even the silly ones like going sky diving or getting a tattoo. I would want to be leaving some kind of mark on the world after I'm gone, whether that's by making sure my family knows how much I love them, or by some kind of broader impact like writing a book. I would use my last years to tie up all my loose ends, with my relationships, my professional career, or my personal life. I would want to die knowing that I had done the best I could in the time given to me, and that I could leave this world satisfied. 

- What would I do if a natural disaster or terrorist event struck my town? 

If a natural disaster or terrorist event struck my town, I would want to go and volunteer and help out in the rebuilding or helping those who had lost their homes. But I would also want to stay with my family, and focus on our own rebuilding. I think that when something like this happens, even the people who aren't physically affected still have to deal with the mental repercussions of knowing that their home, somewhere they believed to have been safe, has been attacked, either by nature, or by terrorists. I would want to be a steady point of support for my family, especially my younger sister, making sure that they know that I'm here for whatever they need. 

- What would I do if a friend asked me to help him move but I really wanted to go see a movie that night?

I think for me, this depends on the situation. If my friend asked me to help move in very last minute, like the day of or the day before, and they had other people there to help them, then I would probably say no and continue on with my movie plans. However, if my friend asked me a week in advance, then their request would require more consideration from me. At this point, I would be more likely to say yes to them, especially if they have helped me out similarly in the past. This would especially be sealed if they had no other help moving in. In that case, I would cancel my movie plans and help out my friend, no questions asked.  

- What would I do if I found out my favorite brand had been exploiting workers and participating in environmentally destructive practices? 

As much as I want to deny it, I think I would just look the other way in this scenario. If my favorite brand was doing this, then I think I would love it too much to stop spending my money there or to stop using the brand. I might look for some suitable replacements first, and then if I couldn't find any I would continue to use the brand, but I think I would just look the other way and pretend like I don't know about the brand's behavior. 

-What would I do if I won the lottery? 

If I won the lottery, I would want to first, use the money for myself, to make sure that I am financially secure and set in my life. Second, I would want set aside some money to help out my family, who needed the money. If my sister or my parents had any need for it, I would want them to be able to ask me for help knowing that I have their backs if the need ever arose. I would set aside about half of the remaining amount for any amenities in my life, such as traveling. And lastly, I would donate to charities in need who have been vetted that the money truly does go towards their causes. 

-What would I do if someone decided to fight me for no good reason?

This is another question where my response depends on the situation. If someone were to suddenly hit me, I would hit them back first, ask questions later. If someone were to verbally start an argument, I would get caught up in the argument and fight back. However, if it were a slower process, where someone had gradually been throwing little barbs into our conversations for a few weeks, I would probably confront them and ask them what's going on. This in of itself, might lead to an argument, in which I would stand my ground. If they had a problem with me where it was a miscommunication, I might try to explain, or even apologize if I felt I had truly done something wrong. However, if I didn't feel like I was in the wrong, I would probably just fight back or argue back. 

-What would I do if an opportunity for an inside deal came my way with little chance of anyone finding out? 

I wouldn't take the deal, because I would feel too much like I was betraying others, even if they didn't know. And even if, in the future, I found out that everyone else had taken the deal, and I was the only one who hadn't, I would still think I made the right choice, because I had stayed loyal to them even if they hadn't to me. I don't think my loyalty should be subject to someone else's to me. 

-What would I do if my team were bashing a teammate behind his back in my presence? 

If I was close to the teammate who was being bashed, I would privately reach out to him and let him know what was being said about him, so he would know who on the team was talking badly about him. I wouldn't say anything to the people who were doing the bashing, and I would ask that if my teammate chose to confront them, that he leaves my name out of it. 

Part 2. Define Your Values 

The values that I want to embody when living a good life are the following: 

I want to always be accepting of everyone around me, no matter their gender, race, sexuality, or age. 

I want to be positive and stay uplifting in times of hardship. 

I want to be able to make quick decisions without overthinking, while assessing every part of the issue.

I want to be hardworking and put forth an effort no matter how small the task is. 

I want to be able to stand up for myself in any situation. 

The things that I want "less of" in my life: 

I don't want to be lazy or without purpose. 

I don't want to be a negative influence on those around me.  

Part 3. Discover Your Passion 

- What books, movies, art, or music get you pumped? 

My favorite books are any of Jodi Picoult's novels, because these books always make me look at society and people around me in a way that I wouldn't normally. I like the movie La La Land, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, because I like how the story progresses somewhat realistically, with both of them choosing their own lives and their own career goals over the love they had for each other. My favorite artist is Taylor Swift, but I specifically like her later albums such as Folklore, Evermore, or The Tortured Poets Department because of the story telling elements in these songs, and the very expressive use of figurative language. 

-Who inspires you and why? 

Out of people I know personally I am inspired by my grandfather on my mom's side, because he always did what was necessary for his family without making any concessions based on his own desires. He prioritized all three of his sisters' lives before his, and made sure that his wife, my grandmother, was always happy, and that both of his children were well settled. I want to be like him, and unconditionally help the people I love. However, on a broader scale, I am also inspired by Princess Diana. Although she was before my time, I have grown up reading and learning about her. I'm inspired by her because of how kind she was and how dedicated she was to her people, but more specifically because of how she acted during the AIDS crisis. In a time where everyone was afraid of, and cursing the people with the disease, Diana interacted with them personally, making them feel human again, and showing the world that there was nothing to be frightened of. I want to be like her, and always spread love and a positive environment, even when the entire world is saying the opposite. 

-What characteristics of yours make you feel great about yourself? 

I think I'm good at building relationships with people and strengthening them. For example, my aunt and I have a similar fashion sense, and she likes to give me some tips. Although I don't always like or follow her advice, I still reach out and ask for it, because I know that by doing so, I'm strengthening our bond. I also think I'm good at diffusing tense situations. When my mom and my sister get into an argument, I'm good at cracking a joke or helping them take some time away from each other. 

-What activities would you do if you had more time and no barriers? 

I would want to travel, if I had unlimited time and money. I would want to see the world and interact with the different cultures around the globe. I would also want to spend more time honing my piano skills, and more time reading. 

-What is meaningful to you about these activities? 

I think traveling is something that everyone should do, because it allows you to see how people all over the world live, and how different that can be from what you're used to. I think this is important to me because I was raised in an Indian household in America, which made me feel as though I had a foot in two different cultures. I want to spend more time playing piano because I believe that music is a doorway to someone's soul, and that playing music is a way to better connect with people and let them get to know me a little bit more. I want to spend more time reading because I think that no matter what you're reading, no matter what genre it is, there is always something that can be gained from it, or something that you can learn from it. 

-What benefit to others would these activities or characteristics provide? 

By traveling, I can also allow the people I see when I'm abroad to learn a little bit more about my cultures, and what it is like where I'm from. This would be beneficial because I think it's important for everyone to learn more about other cultures and places. By playing piano, or performing publicly, I can ease people's minds and take their thoughts away from their own life troubles for at least a few minutes. Music is something that helps people relax and connect. And as I learn more from reading, I can also in turn educate the people around me. 

-Could you change the world, making it even a tiny bit better, by focusing more on these? 

Yes, I could make the world a little bit better if I focused more on these activities. I believe that by spreading music and knowledge I can help people around me. 

-What would it take to get you to step into the arena of even just one of these activities? 

Right now, I don't have the time to do these things, so I think I would need more time before I could focus on these activities. I can gradually start reading more, but since I don't have a piano here, the best I can do about that is to go home on the weekends and practice then. And to travel, I can take advantage of the university's study abroad and Mercer on Mission programs, which might be possible next summer or the following year. 

Part 4. Uncover Your Purpose 

I think my purpose right now is to keep learning all that I can, and to stay a positive influence on the people around me. I think that this is my purpose because while I'm not entirely sure yet of my future career path or what I want to do, I know that I want to do something meaningful and something that makes me think deeply. I also know that I want to stay positive and spread that to the people around me. I never want to be someone who brings someone's excitement down. Rather, I want to be someone who bolsters that and is always supportive. Therefore, I think my current purpose is to keep learning, from my professors and my classes, the people around me, and outside influences, and to be a positive influence on the people in my life.