Every individual has a place to fill in the world and is

“Every individual has a place to fill in the world and is important in some respect whether he chooses to be so or not.” Thus wrote Nathaniel Hawthorne, a man who pondered deeply the hidden corners of the human heart. In these words he unveils a truth as eternal as the stars: that no life is without meaning, no soul without purpose. Whether we know it or not, whether we accept it or deny it, each of us bears weight upon the great web of existence. To be human is to matter.

The ancients saw this mystery in the order of nature. They believed that each creature, from the mightiest eagle to the smallest ant, held a role appointed by the cosmos. Remove one, and the harmony falters. So too with mankind: each individual holds a place, unseen perhaps, but vital. Hawthorne reminds us that significance does not depend upon choice. Even the one who turns away from destiny leaves behind ripples that shape others. Silence influences as surely as speech, absence as surely as presence.

Consider the tale of Rosa Parks. She was but a seamstress, quiet and weary, when one evening she refused to surrender her seat on a bus. In that simple act, she took her place in history. She did not seek grandeur, nor did she raise her hand to be chosen, yet her quiet defiance lit the fire of a movement that changed a nation. Her example shows that even those who see themselves as small may be chosen by fate to carry great weight.

Yet Hawthorne’s wisdom is not only for the extraordinary moments. It is also for the daily lives that seem plain. The teacher who shapes a child, the farmer who feeds the hungry, the friend who listens when all others are silent—these, too, are important. Their work may never be sung in the annals of history, yet without them the world falters. Hawthorne calls us to see that every life is stitched into the fabric of the whole, threads unseen but necessary for the pattern’s strength.

O children of the future, do not fall into despair, thinking your life without meaning. Do not believe the lie that greatness belongs only to kings and warriors, poets and inventors. For the truth is this: greatness belongs to all who take their place in the world with sincerity. You matter, not because of fame or wealth, but because your existence touches others, your choices shape destinies beyond your knowing.

The lesson is clear: honor your life, and honor the lives of others. Do not dismiss anyone as worthless, for even the lowliest carries a secret purpose. Do not despise yourself, even when your path feels small, for you cannot see the full measure of your importance. A kind word today may save a soul tomorrow. A small duty fulfilled may support a pillar of history yet unseen.

Therefore, let your practice be this: live with intention. Step into your place with courage, whether it seems great or small. Respect others, for they too are carrying unseen burdens and fulfilling roles you may not understand. Teach your children to value themselves not for power, but for being part of the great tapestry of existence.

So I say unto you: remember Hawthorne’s wisdom. Each individual matters. Each has a place, each has importance, whether chosen or not. Walk, then, with dignity, for your life is a thread in the eternal fabric, and without you, the pattern would be incomplete.