I can't let time move on without fighting tooth and nail and

Hear the fiery cry of Ian Somerhalder, who declared: “I can't let time move on without fighting tooth and nail and hopefully being a part of a revolution that is positive.” In this utterance beats the heart of urgency, the knowledge that life is fleeting, and that to stand idle while the world drifts toward ruin is a betrayal of one’s very soul. His words are not the whisper of convenience, but the vow of one who sees that every generation must choose: either to surrender to the slow march of destruction, or to fight, fiercely and tirelessly, for a revolution that is positive.

The meaning of this saying lies in the recognition that time does not wait. It sweeps forward, carrying with it both the brokenness of the present and the possibility of transformation. To Somerhalder, to live passively is to be complicit in decline. Thus, he calls for a life of action—a life where every breath, every effort, every ounce of strength is devoted to pushing against the darkness of apathy, corruption, and waste. To fight tooth and nail is to struggle with unrelenting determination, even when the odds are long, even when the battle seems endless.

History reveals to us the truth of such words. Consider the struggle of Mahatma Gandhi, who, with no army, no weapons, and no throne, resolved that time should not pass without resistance to injustice. With tooth and nail—though his weapons were nonviolence and truth—he led a people toward independence. His revolution was not of blood, but of spirit. He too knew that one cannot wait idly for the tides of history to turn; one must wade into the waters, unafraid, to redirect their flow toward justice. Here we see Somerhalder’s cry embodied: the revolution must not only be fierce, but positive.

The origin of Somerhalder’s words comes from his life as both artist and activist. Known for his place upon the screen, he also turned his gaze toward the earth itself—the environment, the creatures, and the fragile balance of nature. He understood that fame without purpose was dust in the wind, but fame wielded for change could become a trumpet-call for millions. His cry is the cry of one who cannot watch the forests fall, the oceans choke, or the people despair without joining the fight. His words are born not of despair, but of hope—that in struggle, something better may rise.

And yet, his wisdom is also this: not every revolution is good. History is littered with uprisings that brought chaos, cruelty, and ruin. Thus, he places the word positive at the heart of his vision. The revolution he seeks is not of hatred but of healing, not of destruction but of restoration. It is a revolution of compassion, of justice, of stewardship over one another and over the earth. For true change, if it is not rooted in the good, becomes another chain rather than freedom.

The lesson for us is powerful: do not wait for others to fight the battles that are yours. Do not let the clock tick on while you stand in silence. Ask yourself: What cause calls to me? What injustice must I resist? What good must I defend? And then, fight tooth and nail, but do so with love at the core of your struggle. Let your revolution be one that builds rather than destroys, one that leaves the world brighter, not darker, for your having lived in it.

So I say unto you: let Ian Somerhalder’s cry awaken your spirit. Do not let time move on without your effort. Do not sleep through the battles of your age. Stand, speak, labor, fight—for justice, for mercy, for truth, for the earth, for humanity. And let your revolution be positive, so that when time has passed and your days are ended, your descendants may say: here was one who did not waste their years, but fought fiercely, and in fighting, gave us a better world.