“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
Following last month’s article, “The Idea is to Die Young as Late as Possible,” I am launching a series on well-known aphorisms that can serve as motivation to inspire us in our ongoing quest to live life to the fullest.
Countless inspiring quotes can encourage us and stir an inner calling, propelling us towards greater achievement or providing philosophical insights that enhance our understanding of ourselves and those around us.
Artificial Intelligence, as curated by TIME, has selected the top 25 quotes of all time. At the top is René Descartes’ famous declaration, “I Think, Therefore I Am.” A casual reader might exclaim, “Say what?” In essence, this quote suggests that the act of thinking is proof of one’s existence. Some quotes emerge from a narrative context, such as William Shakespeare’s “To Be or Not to Be, That is the Question,” which ranks #2. This phrase, spoken by Hamlet, reflects profound moments of doubt and contemplation about life and death. Others aim to counter the uncertainty and fear occasioned by challenging times, as seen in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s assertion, “The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself,” delivered during his first inaugural address amid the Great Depression in 1933.
Sometimes, another person or a close friend can shake us out of our complacency, engaging us and galvanizing us onto paths we have been contemplating. This extra push can be the impetus needed to get started. Many successful businesses owe their existence to friends who encouraged them to act on an idea. Notable billion-dollar enterprises started by friends include Airbnb and NVIDIA, which is the world’s most valuable company at $4 trillion, was founded by Jensen Huang and two friends in a Denny’s Restaurant in Oregon in 1993.
As a teacher with many years of experience, I recall numerous hours spent guiding students toward career paths that had previously seemed unattainable. Parents and school counsellors are tasked with opening avenues that may not be immediately apparent to students.
In this first installment of quotes, I have chosen one that resonates with seniors and is attributed to a 20th-century intellectual giant. There is no ambiguity regarding the significance of this statement for seniors nearing what a friend aptly describes as the “departure lounge.”
Beyond activities like line dancing or mahjong, there are numerous ways we can elevate ourselves to a new level of engagement. Many individuals continue to thrive in businesses they started in their younger years, while others embark on new ventures later in life. Notable examples include Harlan Sanders, who founded KFC at age 61, and Ben Van Praagh, who launched Benefyt Natural, a dog food business, in his early 70s. Numerous bloggers also entered the online world despite its nonexistence in their youth.
It’s essential to recognize that we are not aiming for unattainable goals that exceed our physical or mental capabilities. We must be realistic about what is achievable; grappling with physical or psychological barriers can become an all-consuming pursuit in itself, leaving little energy for our actual objectives.
George Foreman, my favourite comeback kid, exemplifies the possibilities individuals can achieve in their lifetimes. The man transformed himself to regain the heavyweight championship at the age of 45, after retiring from boxing 10 years earlier. For those of us who have followed his career, it was evident that he underwent a significant reinvention after boxing. From being a quiet achiever in his sport, he became more expansive and gregarious in the new roles he embraced.
He became an ordained Christian minister and a highly successful entrepreneur, single-handedly marketing the George Foreman Grill. He was also a commercial pitchman for various products and a media personality. Foreman appeared on numerous talk shows, served as a boxing commentator, and even starred in a TV sitcom. Additionally, he founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center in Houston.
Foreman had 12 children (five sons, all named George, and seven daughters) from several different relationships. Clearly, he was an extraordinary individual who transformed his boxing career into a multi-layered success.
SETTING ANOTHER GOAL OR DREAMING A NEW DREAM NEED NOT BE OF “FOREMANESQUE” MAGNITUDE.
C.S. Lewis himself did not set out to change the world at the outset, but his prolific writing, best known in The Chronicles of Narnia, touched many during a time when people were seeking answers to life’s great questions. His famous quotes emphasize themes of faith, humanity, and life’s purpose, often highlighting the importance of truth over comfort and the connection between faith and one’s perception of reality: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
Lewis’s influence emerged within the context of an era before
Enlightenment ideals took hold in Europe. Each generation brings forth messages that resonate with humanity’s concerns. Yet, Lewis’s quotes remain timeless, guiding us in our quest for a meaningful life that can lead to greater fulfillment: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind, ” another one of Lewis’s quotes.
For everyday individuals like us, there are countless advocacies we can champion, moving away from a self-centred focus on career building and wealth accumulation. The reminder, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less,” can help us see beyond what we have been clinging to throughout our lives. Often, actions we perceive as altruistic can serve self-serving motives. How many of us actively demonstrate in support of causes, as opposed to simply reciting prayers for intercession? If the latter were effective, there wouldn’t have been a 1918 flu pandemic that claimed up to 100 million lives, despite numerous Novenas called by the church. Fortunately, we have learned from history; the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in about 7.5 million deaths worldwide. Once again, we are reminded that science, not religion, works. Yet, the staunch supporters often remain silent when outcomes are unfavourable and vocal when things turn out well.
NEW GOALS SHOULD ELEVATE, NOT DEPRECATE; ENHANCE, NOT DEGRADE.
The numerous articles and commentaries about education in any Philippine newspaper demonstrate that this fundamental cornerstone of our future is in serious trouble. As a retired teacher and administrator, I have been aware of this issue for a long time. I followed the decline to the classroom level, examining teacher shortages and poor infrastructure. I audited a teacher training college, engaged extensively with teachers and aspiring educators, and followed every newspaper editorial related to this crisis. (Please read, here’s the latest: https://opinion.inquirer.net/185519/saras-deped-debacle)
I wrote a report on my findings based on two articles from BALITA dated September 1 and September 16, 2019, titled “Dark Clouds Over Education, Parts I & II.” Unbeknownst to me, the 2018 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results were set to be released in December 2019. These results revealed ongoing issues regarding our global educational standing. Despite a slight improvement in the 2022 PISA scores, we still find ourselves at the bottom of the international educational hierarchy. I continued my analyses with additional articles: “The Unexplored Causes of the PISA Debacle” (PDI, January 5, 2020) and “The State of Philippine Education, Revisited” (Balita, September 2022).
A considerable amount has been written about these problems, but new issues continue to emerge because they are systemic and deeply ingrained in our culture. Throughout my ten years of schooling, from elementary to high school and into my undergraduate years, I began to feel a sense of inadequacy as a public school teacher—a realization that intensified during my postgraduate studies.
In 2012, after visiting a Philippine Science High School, I decided I could do more than just complain about the situation. This is how the Book Advocacy Program was born. Thirteen years later (with a pause during the COVID years) and after working with ten schools, my wife and I have donated around 3,500 books, as well as two non-school donations planned for the coming year ( 2026 )
During my teaching years, I constantly referred to two foundational books as teaching bibles. “Sourcebook for Biological Sciences” by Morholt et al. and the “UNESCO Sourcebook for Science Teaching,” which has been published by UNESCO since 1973. They have become templates in the early years of our advocacy. The books we donate are carefully selected from thousands available at Church Bazaars, Goodwill Centers, Mission Thrift stores, and more. Initially, our goal was to provide teachers with a wide range of resources to enhance their teaching and classroom management skills. Over the years, we have expanded our donations to include materials for retirement careers, reproducible student workbooks, numerous ESL resources, and teaching materials from independent tutoring companies such as Sylvan, Kumon, and Oxford. Whenever possible, we also include art supplies, science kits, and classroom flip charts.
As word of our efforts spread, demand continues to grow beyond what we can currently fulfill. Shipping costs (door-to-door) have increased, and some sources have priced their books prohibitively—e.g, Value Village. The only way to expand this program is by accepting monetary donations to help offset costs. However, we are not at that point yet.
The bottom line is that we cannot continue to complain. At some stage, we need to move toward a more meaningful undertaking. Volunteer medical missions are another outstanding example of how we can transition from mere observers to engaged participants.
THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
In the time of C.S. Lewis and contemporaries such as J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, Immanuel Kant, Albert Einstein, and Niels Bohr, great thinkers profoundly influenced society through their intellect and published works. Today, intellect or a book is not a prerequisite for sharing ideas with the masses. Anyone can lead an initiative from their kitchen table, potentially reaching millions, depending on the ideas being shared.
Consequently, being older is no longer an excuse for disengagement. Technology serves as the greatest equalizer of our time. It is our responsibility to use it to either highlight pressing issues or promote solutions. Bloggers and influencers are, for the most part, ordinary individuals who utilize the internet to provide information, entertainment, and advocacy for various ideas and products. Do you have the patience and perseverance to engage with the masses? Establishing oneself may take time, as credibility is not easily gained unless you are representing an established business or a proven leader in your field. However, determination and creativity are virtues that are accessible to everyone.
“It is never too late to be what you might have been”.
George Eliot
Edwin de Leon