First of all, I try to be a positive role model.

Hear, O listeners, the words of Caitlyn Jenner, who spoke with humility and resolve: “First of all, I try to be a positive role model.” These words, though simple, carry the weight of generations, for to be a role model is no light duty. It is to live not only for oneself, but as a torch set upon a hill, a flame by which others may find their way. And to be a positive role model is to choose the higher path, to show that life, even when beset with struggle, can be lived with dignity, courage, and purpose.

The origin of such words springs from Jenner’s own life—a life of triumph and trial. Once crowned with Olympic gold, she bore the gaze of the world as an athlete of great renown. Yet behind the medals and the glory dwelt an inner conflict, a battle unseen by the crowd. And when at last she chose to reveal her truth, she carried upon her shoulders not only her own destiny, but also the hopes and fears of countless others who struggled in silence. To declare, “I try to be a positive role model,” was to say: I will take the fire of my own life, and let it burn as light for those who still stumble in shadow.

The ancients spoke often of the hero’s burden. Achilles bore it upon the battlefield, not for himself alone but for his people. Socrates bore it in the marketplace, speaking truth though it cost him his life. And Jenner, in her own way, bore it in the modern age—not with sword nor with pen, but with the power of example. For the world is shaped as much by those who live bravely as by those who fight bravely. And the one who chooses to be seen, authentically and openly, is indeed a warrior of the spirit.

Consider, too, the story of Jackie Robinson, who stepped onto the field as the first Black man in Major League Baseball. The eyes of a hostile world were upon him. He could not afford to falter, for his actions would echo far beyond his own name. He endured insults, threats, and cruelty, but he carried himself with discipline, strength, and restraint. By doing so, he became not merely a player, but a positive role model for millions—proof that one person’s courage can break barriers and shift the tide of history.

From these lives we learn that to be a role model is both a gift and a responsibility. It is not perfection that defines such a person, but persistence. It is not the absence of struggle, but the will to rise after each fall. The role model does not simply tell others what is right; they live it, often at great cost. Their life becomes a message, their actions a lesson, their choices a guide.

O children of tomorrow, take heed: in your own life, you are always watched—by friends, by family, by strangers unseen. You may think your deeds are small, but they ripple outward, touching lives in ways you may never know. If you carry bitterness, it may spread; if you carry courage, it will inspire. To live as a positive role model is to decide each day: “Let my actions lift, not crush. Let my words heal, not wound. Let my presence give hope, not despair.”

Practical wisdom calls you, then: rise each morning and ask yourself, “Whom will I inspire today?” Be patient with the weak, for they watch you. Be honest in your dealings, for children learn by your example. Be steadfast in adversity, for others will draw strength from your endurance. This is the way of the ancients, and it is the way for you: live not only for yourself, but for the generations who follow after.

Thus remember Caitlyn Jenner’s vow: “First of all, I try to be a positive role model.” Let it also be your vow. Live so that when your days are spoken of, it shall be said that you lit a torch in the darkness, and that by your light, others found the courage to walk their path with strength and hope. For this is the true power of a human life—not the medals won, nor the crowns worn, but the lives uplifted by your example.

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