I believe time wounds all heels.

The words of John Lennon—“I believe time wounds all heels.”—are a play upon the familiar proverb, “time heals all wounds.” With his wit sharpened by experience, Lennon turned the phrase upon its head, revealing a deeper, more ironic truth. For he had seen that while time may soothe the pain of the innocent, it also serves as a silent avenger against the unjust, the cruel, and the arrogant—the heels of the world. Those who deceive, exploit, or trample upon others may appear triumphant in the moment, but as years unfold, their deceit corrodes them, their cruelty isolates them, and their pride becomes their downfall.

The ancients themselves would have recognized this wisdom. The Greeks spoke of Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, who struck down those swollen with hubris. They taught that while the wicked might prosper for a season, time itself would reveal their rot and bring them to ruin. Lennon, in his sharp modern tongue, expressed this same eternal justice: that time is not only a healer but also a judge. It raises the humble and casts down the false.

History gives us countless witnesses to this truth. Consider the fate of Richard Nixon, who once stood as the most powerful man on earth. For a time, he seemed untouchable, a master of politics and power. But when the shadow of Watergate fell upon him, the years unraveled his legacy. Time exposed his deceit, and though he sought to cling to his throne, he was brought low by his own actions. Truly, time wounded the heel, stripping him of honor and leaving him remembered not for triumph, but for disgrace.

Nor is this truth confined to politics. In art and culture, too, time unmasks pretenders. Many who sought fame by shallow means faded into oblivion, their names forgotten as quickly as they rose. But those who labored with sincerity—voices like Lennon’s own—endured, their works still alive decades later. Time, like fire, burns away the false and leaves only what is pure. The heel, who walks arrogantly, is consumed; the honest, though wounded, are refined.

Beloved listener, the meaning is clear: injustice, cruelty, and arrogance may prosper briefly, but they cannot escape the judgment of years. Do not envy the wicked in their moment of power, for their downfall is already unfolding. Time is patient but relentless, and those who sow harm will one day reap it in full. Thus, Lennon’s playful phrase becomes a solemn truth: time itself is an avenger.

The lesson for our own lives is profound: live with integrity. Do not build your house upon lies, nor your reputation upon cruelty, for time will not preserve it. Instead, walk humbly, act justly, and sow goodness into the lives of others. For while time wounds the heels, it also crowns the faithful with honor. What you plant in the present, you will harvest in the years to come.

Practical wisdom is this: when you encounter those who seem to prosper by deception or malice, do not let bitterness poison your heart. Trust in time. Their power is fleeting, but your integrity, though it may cost you now, will endure. Keep your soul clean, your actions kind, your words true. For in the end, time is the great judge, and it will wound the heels while it heals the hearts of the steadfast.

So let Lennon’s words echo as both comfort and warning: “Time wounds all heels.” Comfort for the weary, who suffer under injustice, for they may trust that time will vindicate them. And warning for the arrogant, who think themselves untouchable, for the years themselves will rise as their accuser. Walk, then, not as a heel, but as one who sows light—for time, relentless and eternal, is watching.