“We must keep our heart open in the very moment our instinct tells us to shut it down. When we transcend this critical point, we are finally and truly able to deepen our love and strengthen our bond.”
Kate McGahan
Fudge brownie enthusiast Haaniya Mallick recently graduated from Michigan State University with her degree in genetics and a minor in graphic design. She is currently pursuing her masters in genetics and hopes to become a genetic counselor one day. She is the face of transcendence.
“I am the face of transcendence because I have grown with its definition,” Mallick said. “It’s meaning [her personal definition] has continually changed and grown as I have.”
Transcend, the verb form of transcendence, is defined as the action of triumphing over negative aspects or overcoming. To Mallick, transcendence entails constantly evolving and growing from the experiences and situations she has encountered. It’s the process she emulates by being self-aware, showing compassion to others and ultimately empowering herself.
Mallick’s use of transcendence mainly takes form in how she interacts with others. She remembers a time when a close friend had publicly criticized a decision she had made. “I was extremely embarrassed,” Mallick said. Although she was hurt, she made the decision to first step away from the situation, recognize her feelings pertaining to it, take some time to reflect and then transcend in order to gain closure.
Through continually practicing this process, Mallick discovered that transcendence ultimately begins with recognizing, “You are not defined by a situation.” At times when we face unforeseen obstacles or conflict it can be easy to take things to heart and allow a situation to change our outlook. While it is important to recognize the validity of the feelings we have, it is equally as important to transcend so these emotions do not continually burden or control us.
Mallick believes transcendence can look different for everyone. It could entail gaining the courage to reconcile with someone who has wronged you or revealing an opportunity for you to gain closure from a situation.
“Transcending is understanding where you’re at in the situation, and then figuring out what you need at that point,” she said.
Regardless of how transcendence looks to you, Mallick wants people to know that learning to transcend is a gradual process that involves not only having self-awareness, but also employing understanding when interacting with others.
“It’s about dealing with yourself as much as it is about dealing with other people,” she concluded.
She is the face of TRANSCENDENCE.