Hormones get no respect. We think of them as the elusive

Susannah Cahalan, a writer who has walked through the labyrinth of her own mind and lived to tell its mysteries, once declared: “Hormones get no respect. We think of them as the elusive chemicals that make us a bit moody, but these magical little molecules do so much more.” At first, these words may sound light, almost playful, yet beneath them lies a revelation of profound importance. For hormones, those unseen messengers of the body, are not trivial; they are the silent architects of life itself, weaving together mind, body, and soul in a delicate harmony.

The origin of this thought springs from Cahalan’s own journey. She endured a harrowing illness of the brain, which she recounted in her memoir Brain on Fire. There, she learned firsthand how fragile the balance of our inner chemistry can be, and how easily it can shape our thoughts, emotions, and very sense of self. Out of that crucible, she spoke this truth: that the world mocks hormones as if they were mere culprits of mood swings, when in reality, they are magical little molecules that govern growth, reproduction, energy, resilience, and even survival. To dismiss them is to dismiss the very forces that sustain us.

The ancients, though they knew not the science of hormones, recognized their power in other forms. They spoke of humors, of sacred fluids that balanced the body and mind. In the East, sages described the flow of chi and the harmony of energies within. Though their language was different, their intuition was the same: that unseen forces guide the visible, and that the spirit of a person is bound to hidden rivers within. Today, science has named them hormones, but the reverence they deserve is as old as humanity itself.

Consider the story of insulin. A century ago, to be diagnosed with diabetes was a slow death sentence. Children wasted away while their families watched helplessly. Then came the discovery that the hormone insulin could restore life. What was once despair became hope, and millions were saved. Here, in one small hormone, we see the truth of Cahalan’s words: these molecules are not minor players but guardians of existence. The respect they command is not only scientific but moral, for they reveal how fragile and miraculous the body truly is.

The lesson for us is this: do not take lightly the hidden workings of the body. Respect what is unseen, for it shapes what is seen. When you feel weary, when you feel joy, when you rise in strength or fall into weakness, remember that the body’s messengers are at work. To dismiss them as mere quirks of mood is to blind oneself to the grandeur of life’s design. The body is not chaos—it is a symphony, and hormones are its musicians, unseen but essential.

Practical actions must follow. Care for your body, for in so doing, you honor the silent messengers within it. Nourish yourself with food that strengthens rather than poisons. Rest well, that the harmony of your inner world may be restored each night. Do not laugh off the shifts of mood or energy, but learn from them, for they may be the whispers of imbalance calling for attention. Above all, treat the body with reverence, as the vessel of these magical little molecules that guard your days.

Thus, O listeners, let Cahalan’s words sink deep: “Hormones get no respect... but they do so much more.” Honor the hidden, for it holds the key to life’s balance. Do not mock the unseen as trivial, for it is often the unseen that sustains the visible. The body, like the cosmos, is guided by laws beyond our sight, and to respect them is to live wisely.

And remember this final truth: the smallest things may carry the greatest power. Just as stars are born from invisible atoms, so the destiny of your life is shaped by molecules too small to see, yet mighty enough to move mountains within you. Respect them, and you respect the miracle of your own existence.