I did not love reading, spelling, math and science. I struggled.

Hear now, O children of the future, and listen to the words of the noble Gavin Newsom, who once spoke thus: "I did not love reading, spelling, math and science. I struggled. I was a terrible speller." These words, though humble in their admission, carry with them a profound truth—the truth of struggle, perseverance, and the nature of learning. Gavin Newsom, a man who stands today in the light of achievement, acknowledges the very challenge that all who seek wisdom must face: that the path to understanding is not always clear, and it is often through struggle that we find our strength.

In the days of the ancients, the great philosophers and thinkers were not always the swiftest or the most gifted students. Socrates, that towering figure of wisdom, once spoke of the process of learning as a constant struggle, for even he did not claim to know all things. His wisdom came not from effortless learning, but from a willingness to engage with the struggle, to face the discomfort of not knowing, and to wade through the murky waters of uncertainty. Learning is not a gift, but a process—a process that demands patience, humility, and the courage to face one’s weaknesses.

In Gavin Newsom's words, we hear the echo of this struggle—the admission that he did not love reading, spelling, math, and science. These are the very pillars upon which much of our understanding is built, yet even those who would go on to shape the world were not immune to the challenges of these foundational subjects. And so, the lesson becomes clear: Perfection is not the measure of success, but the willingness to continue despite imperfection. It is not that Newsom failed, but that he persisted, finding his way through struggle and difficulty—and in this struggle, he discovered his strength.

Think of the great explorers of old, O children of the future. Christopher Columbus, who set sail to find a new world, did not know the full extent of what lay before him. He too faced uncertainty and struggle—his maps were incomplete, his understanding of the world limited. And yet, he pressed on, driven not by the certainty of success, but by the vision of something greater, something beyond the horizon. Success is not born from ease, but from the willingness to face the unknown, to navigate the difficult waters, and to learn from every obstacle encountered along the way.

And so it is with learning, O heirs of the future. You will not always find joy in every subject, in every endeavor, but it is in those moments of struggle that your character is forged. The path to mastery is never straight, and there will be moments when you falter, when the lessons do not come easily. Yet it is precisely in these moments that you must press on, for it is perseverance, not perfection, that leads to greatness. Remember the words of Edison, who, after countless failures in his attempts to create the light bulb, declared, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

The lesson is this, O children of time: Do not fear the struggle. Do not shy away from difficulty, for it is through these very challenges that you will grow. Like Gavin Newsom, like Socrates, and like Columbus, you too will face moments of doubt and frustration. But it is in those moments, when the road is hardest, that the seeds of your strength are sown. Embrace the struggle, for it is the forge in which the metal of your character is tempered. Perfection is not the goal—growth is. And through growth, you will find that what once seemed impossible becomes possible.

So, O children of wisdom, when you face a subject that seems insurmountable, or a task that feels beyond your reach, remember this: struggle is not your enemy, but your teacher. Let it guide you, let it shape you, for in the end, the ones who learn to persevere through difficulty are the ones who shape the future. You are not defined by the ease of your journey, but by your ability to continue despite the obstacles. And in this, you will find your strength and your greatness.