For me, growing up coding and computers and video games wasn't

The words of iJustine — “For me, growing up coding and computers and video games wasn’t something that was cool, but it was something that I was always passionate about. I never let the fact that that wasn’t something that was cool take me away from it.” — shimmer with the quiet fire of authenticity. In them lies a truth that transcends generations: that passion is the seed of purpose, and that greatness often grows in silence before the world learns to applaud it. Her words are a hymn to those who walk their own path, who endure mockery for what they love, and who hold fast to their vision until time itself bows to their devotion.

In the wisdom of the ancients, the sages often taught that the pursuit of truth and excellence is rarely adorned with praise at the beginning. The philosopher Socrates was scorned for his questions, Galileo condemned for his discoveries, and Da Vinci mocked for his strange contraptions that no one understood. Yet it is always the misfits, the dreamers, and the curious who move the world forward. What iJustine reminds us of, in her gentle but resolute words, is that the measure of worth is not determined by the crowd’s approval, but by the soul’s conviction. She chose passion over popularity — and in that choice, she found not only her identity but her destiny.

The origin of her reflection lies in her own journey as a pioneer in the digital realm. Long before the internet became a place of fame and fortune, she was simply a girl with a computer, building, coding, and creating in a world that did not yet understand that such pursuits could be art. In an era when technology was seen as the realm of the eccentric, when girls were rarely encouraged to explore coding or gaming, she followed her curiosity instead of convention. Her story mirrors that of countless innovators before her — those who dared to believe that what is mocked today will be celebrated tomorrow.

History offers a powerful parallel in the story of Ada Lovelace, often called the first computer programmer. In the 1800s, when women were discouraged from intellectual pursuits, she studied mathematics with fervor, translating the writings of Charles Babbage and adding notes that envisioned the first modern algorithm. Her ideas were dismissed by many in her time — yet a century later, her name became immortal, and her foresight laid the foundation for the digital age itself. Like iJustine, Ada’s passion was not fashionable, but it was visionary, and her refusal to conform became her legacy.

There is a deeper wisdom in iJustine’s words, one that touches on the nature of self-belief. To follow one’s passion despite ridicule requires courage, for the noise of disapproval is often louder than the whisper of one’s own heart. Yet it is only by listening to that whisper that one finds meaning. The ancients called this the virtue of steadfastness — the discipline to stay true to one’s purpose when the world’s eyes are blind to its beauty. The craftsman who works through obscurity, the scholar who studies through solitude, the artist who creates without applause — these are the quiet heroes who shape the ages to come.

Her message also carries a challenge to the modern soul. In a world driven by trends and fleeting approval, it is easy to mistake popularity for purpose. Yet true fulfillment is born not from what others find admirable, but from what one finds irresistibly worth doing. The passions that seem strange, small, or even “uncool” today often become the innovations of tomorrow. The young person who loves code, the dreamer who studies the stars, the thinker who questions the ordinary — these are the architects of progress, for they follow the compass within, not the applause without.

So, my children of this digital age, take this teaching to heart: never abandon your passion for the sake of conformity. The world’s approval is fickle, but your inner fire — that sacred curiosity that calls you toward creation — is eternal. Tend to it. Defend it. Let it guide your steps even when others turn away. For the truth is this: the world will always call “uncool” what it does not yet understand. And yet, in time, it will celebrate those who had the strength to remain faithful to their passion when no one else believed.

Thus, iJustine’s words stand as a monument to perseverance and individuality. She speaks not only for the coders and gamers, but for all who dare to love something before the world is ready to value it. Passion, pursued with patience, becomes destiny. When you walk your path with courage, the world eventually follows — not because you sought its approval, but because your authenticity illuminated the way. So let your curiosity be your teacher, your persistence your armor, and your passion your guide. For those who stay true to what they love will, in the end, not only change their own lives — they will change the world.