"Find your why..."

SENIOR MAZEN ASAD ON HOW NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION HAVE DEFINED HIS EPISCOPAL EXPERIENCE.

Why? One of the most commonly used words in the English language in its simplest form. It only consists of three letters and a single syllable, yet carries so much meaning. In our youth, we use this word all the time. Why this? Why that? In fact, the average child between the ages of two and seven asks approximately a hundred and five questions an hour. Many of which begin with the word why.

As we grow older, this sense of curiosity and childhood innocence begins to fade. Slowly, we lose that passion for life we once carried, asking fewer and fewer questions. Part of this is because we gain knowledge of our surroundings and no longer feel the need to know every intricate detail. However, I would argue that much of it has to do with the fact that we are protecting ourselves. Protecting ourselves from revealing our lack of knowledge. Protecting ourselves from showing we don’t belong. Protecting ourselves from appearing vulnerable to those around us. And eventually, we are no longer the same curious person we once were.

As the child of an American diplomat, and coming from Palestinian and Japanese heritage, I felt as if I never belonged. I periodically moved from country to country and had trouble finding a group I could be myself around. While overseas, I was never international enough. And while home; in the States, I was never American enough. I was a third-culture kid, and I was lost.

Slowly, these effects bled into my daily life as I started high school. I had developed a fear of life’s only certainty: change. With this, came a period of struggle. My grades declined, my anxiety grew worse, I would no longer try new experiences or make myself vulnerable, and I began to shut down. This is when that same three-letter word reappeared in my life. Why? What is my why?

At this point in the talk, I’m supposed to point to an “aha” moment. An event that caused everything to turn for the better. But this process did not happen overnight. Truth is, I am still undergoing my journey today. I still have nights where I toss and turn in bed, asking myself if I am where I’m supposed to be. Throughout my time looking for an answer to this question, I turn to someone who has surprisingly influenced my understanding of my mental health. While this is not their specialty, this person has given me more help than any TED Talk, audiobook, or lesson. This person is Sir Isaac Newton. I will preface this portion by mentioning that I know very little about the subject of physics, yet Newton’s laws of motion have given me three lessons that I try to utilize in my everyday life.

He begins with the law of inertia, which goes as follows: “An object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” When applying this law to my life, Newton is communicating the fact that no one is coming to save me. That there is no special moment. No apple that will fall on my head. No point where everything changes. He is encouraging me to start now. That no matter the circumstances, I must dip my foot in the water and take that first leap. That I have to work as my own unbalanced force. That I cannot let the fear of failure hinder me from my dreams. And know that the pain of regret is far worse than any failed experience. Newton is telling me that the first step toward achieving my goals is to simply start. Through this, he has encouraged me to join the choir, play football, and start swimming. Though I went into all of these later and less experienced than my peers, I cannot imagine my Episcopal experience without them.

Newton follows with his second law: “Force equals mass times acceleration.” Basically, the bigger and more you accelerate towards something the larger of an impact or force you will leave. When I first stepped onto a football field, my sophomore year, I was 5’6 and 115 pounds soaking wet. So, naturally, I was terrified of hitting and would literally run in the opposite direction whenever I saw someone coming my way. This also resulted in me flying back five yards after any point of contact.

This is until I was influenced by another wise man you all know by the name of Coach Mo. Along with other lessons he has given me, such as how to rob a bank or become a worldclass spy, Coach Mo helped me overcome my fear of hitting. He said, “Mazen! Watching you out there pains my soul. Unless you go at the other man 100%, you’re never gonna make a tackle.”

Now, this hurt my pride, but it also left me with a new understanding of life. You are destined to fail if you do not approach something with all your effort. To give yourself a fighting chance, you need to put your heart into it. So why not give 100%? Though your efforts may not always be reciprocated, you will make it miles farther. Make yourself vulnerable to the failures that naturally come with being human. Choose effort over comfort and listen to the part of yourself that knows there is more out there for you.

Lastly, Newton concludes with his third law of motion: “For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction.” Every action that we take in our lives will receive a reaction, either positive or negative. It is in our hands to choose how we view it. For every person wanting to see you fall, there is someone in your corner to pick you up. For every failure, there is a win waiting. Look for the positive aspects in life, even during the darkest of times. Eventually, the bad days make the good ones even better. Losses turn into lessons, which can lead to wins.

Life has a weird way of working out, so no matter where you are, trust your process and know that something wonderful awaits. Choose who you surround yourself with. Choose how you view life. And choose who you want to become.

Soon, the Class of 2025 will walk across that stage on the Front Circle, shake a few hands, then go our separate ways. Our names will be engraved in the very bricks that lead to this Chapel, and our time here as students will come to an end. We may see each other on occasion and cross paths here and there. But there is no time like now. No better place to be. No reason why you should not give it your all. No reason why you should not choose the way you live this life. Learn, laugh, love, cry, feel, try, forgive, and live while you can.

For one day, we will all reach life’s end. Build a life worth living. And along the way, look for your answer to that three-lettered question. Find your why.

“...there is no time like now. No better place to be. No reason why you should not give it your all.”