I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.

"I have found that if you love life, life will love you back." So spoke Arthur Rubinstein, a man whose fingers danced upon the piano keys, coaxing from them not merely music, but the very essence of life itself. In these words, Rubinstein offers us a truth both simple and profound: that life, in all its complexity, is not a cold and indifferent force but a companion that responds to us in kind. If we embrace it with open arms, love, and gratitude, life returns that embrace — not as a passive bystander, but as a dynamic, living force that meets us with joy, purpose, and meaning. To love life, then, is not just an emotion; it is a pact — a sacred covenant between the self and the world.

In the days of the ancients, the Greeks spoke of the concept of eudaimonia, often translated as flourishing or living in accordance with one's true nature. For them, the key to a fulfilled life lay in the love of virtue and the pursuit of the good life. The philosopher Aristotle taught that happiness does not arise from the acquisition of wealth or the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, but from a life well-lived, full of purpose and virtue. The love of life, as Rubinstein suggests, is not a passive, fleeting thing; it is an active force, born of our choices and our engagement with the world. Life loves those who embrace it with vigor, with passion, and with a heart full of purpose.

Think of Alexander the Great, whose love for life and the world around him propelled him to conquer vast empires. It was not just the might of his army that allowed him to create an empire, but his relentless love for the challenge of life itself. His vision of a world united under one banner was born from his deep belief that life was meant to be lived boldly, expansively, without restraint. He saw the world not as a series of obstacles, but as a vast and beautiful challenge to be embraced. His life was a testament to the power of love for life, a love that was not passive, but drove him to reach beyond the ordinary and grasp the extraordinary. In return, life answered him with opportunity, glory, and the chance to leave a legacy that would echo through the centuries.

In our own time, it is often too easy to fall into the trap of complaint and disillusionment, to view life through the lens of hardship and suffering. We forget that our perception of life shapes how life, in turn, responds to us. Just as the ancients revered the gods, seeing in them both challenges and blessings, so must we learn to recognize that life itself is a divine dance, filled with moments of joy and difficulty, each one offering its own gifts. Life, like a song, has its high notes and its low ones — but it is only through embracing the entire symphony, the full range of its beauty, that we can experience the love that life has to offer.

Consider the example of Helen Keller, who, despite being both blind and deaf, embraced life with such fervor and love that she became one of the most inspiring figures in history. Despite the obstacles before her, she chose to love life and to serve others. Through her love for the world, she found the strength to overcome her limitations and touch the hearts of millions. Keller's life was a testament to Rubinstein's words: that when you choose to love life — when you face its challenges with faith, determination, and gratitude — life will respond, not with ease, but with purpose and meaning. Keller’s accomplishments were not handed to her; she loved life so deeply that she created meaning from the challenges she faced, and in return, life gave her a profound impact that continues to inspire us all.

The lesson from Rubinstein’s quote is clear and resounding: life is a mirror. How we choose to engage with it determines the reflection we see. If we greet life with cynicism, fear, or apathy, life will meet us in kind — with closed doors, missed opportunities, and isolation. But if we approach it with love, with an open heart and a mind ready to embrace its fullness, life will open its arms to us, offering its gifts freely. Loving life is not just an emotional state — it is an active decision, a commitment to live with joy, to seek meaning even in hardship, and to find beauty in both the bright and the dark moments of existence.

Thus, my children, remember this sacred truth: life responds to those who embrace it with love and purpose. When you love life — truly love it — you invite its joy, its opportunities, and its transformative power into your being. Make the decision each day to greet life with a heart full of love, and you will find that life, in all its magnificence, will love you back in ways that will fill your soul with purpose and meaning. Live fully, with love, and life will never fail to meet you with its most generous embrace.