I am incredibly thankful that football has provided me with a

Hear, O children of the present and guardians of the future, the words of Chris Long, who declared with humility and fire: “I am incredibly thankful that football has provided me with a platform to give back and I am proud that so many of my colleagues have decided to use this stage to create positive and impactful change in our local communities and around the world.” These words carry the breath of both gratitude and duty. They reveal not only the blessing of personal success, but the higher calling to use such success as a beacon for others.

The origin of this utterance lies in the journey of an athlete who has seen the heights of the stadium, who has felt the roar of the crowd, and who has known that such glory is fleeting unless it is turned outward in service. For Long speaks not of trophies nor of titles, but of a platform—a stage upon which the deeds of giving may be magnified. To be given fame without responsibility is to squander it, but to embrace fame as a chance to give back is to turn privilege into purpose.

This truth is ancient, echoed in the story of Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome. Though he held the mightiest throne on earth, he wrote in his Meditations that power is not for self-indulgence, but for the good of the people. His reign is remembered not for conquest alone, but for his striving to be just, to use his position for the welfare of those entrusted to him. Chris Long’s words carry this same spirit: that to stand upon a stage is not to bask in glory, but to shine light into the shadows where others struggle.

In his gratitude, there is also honor for his colleagues, for he does not stand alone. He rejoices that many others have chosen the same path, to transform the fleeting stage of sport into a force for positive and impactful change. This reflects the wisdom that one hand alone may lift a stone, but many hands together can build a temple. The strength of a community of givers multiplies the impact, stretching from local communities to the corners of the world.

The lesson for us is profound: whatever stage or station life grants you, it is not yours for pride alone—it is entrusted to you for the good of others. To be thankful is not enough; gratitude must become action, action that ripples outward like a stone cast into still waters. Whether your platform is mighty like that of an athlete, or humble like that of a worker in a small village, it is still a stage upon which goodness can be displayed.

Therefore, O listener, take these words to heart. Seek not only to rise, but to give back when you do. Look around you and find those in need—the hungry, the lonely, the forgotten—and let your blessings flow toward them. Unite with others, as Long honors his colleagues, so that your efforts together may be magnified. For greatness is not measured in what you gain, but in what you give, and legacy is not written in victories, but in lives uplifted.

So let the words of Chris Long endure in your soul: to be thankful is the beginning, to serve is the fulfillment, and to inspire others to serve is the highest triumph of all. Walk with this wisdom, and you too will find that your life, however great or small in the eyes of the world, becomes a platform for light, a stage for change, and a blessing to generations yet to come.