I think it's important for little girls growing up, and young

The words of Sally Ride — "I think it's important for little girls growing up, and young women, to have one in every walk of life. So from that point of view, I'm proud to be a role model!" — resound like a star shining in the night sky, guiding travelers across vast and uncharted seas. They are not the words of vanity, but of responsibility. Ride, the first American woman to ascend into space, understood that her journey was not hers alone, but a torch carried for countless others who longed to see themselves reflected in the heights of achievement. By calling herself a role model, she embraced the ancient duty of pioneers: to open doors not merely for themselves, but for all who come after.

The origin of this truth is as old as humanity’s march toward progress. In every generation, barriers have been raised — barriers of gender, of race, of class — and in every age, someone has dared to break through. Sally Ride knew that space was not simply a realm of stars, but a realm of possibility. Her presence among astronauts was a defiance of centuries that had told women their place was small, their reach limited. In the vast silence of the cosmos, her voice declared that little girls, too, could dream beyond the earth, and that their dreams were worthy of the heavens.

History gives us many mirrors of this truth. Consider Florence Nightingale, who transformed the image of nursing from a lowly, disregarded task into a noble and scientific profession. She was not merely healing the wounded of war; she was creating a role model for women across the world, showing that their intelligence and compassion had a place in shaping the future. Or think of Rosa Parks, whose refusal to surrender her seat was not only an act of defiance but an act of leadership. She became a symbol, a beacon, a woman whose courage whispered to others: “You, too, can stand.”

What Sally Ride recognized is that visibility is power. Young women do not only learn from words, but from examples embodied. A girl who sees a woman doctor learns that she, too, might heal. A girl who sees a woman scientist learns that she, too, might discover. A girl who sees a woman astronaut learns that she, too, might touch the stars. Each example widens the horizon of possibility, until the world itself grows larger in the eyes of the next generation. This is the sacred work of the role model.

Yet there is humility in Ride’s words. She did not boast of being extraordinary, though she was. She spoke instead of being proud to carry that responsibility, proud that her life might plant seeds of courage in others. True role models do not live for themselves alone. They understand that their victories echo beyond their own lives, shaping the destiny of those who watch, those who follow, those who dare.

The lesson here is mighty: each person, in their own way, is called to be a role model. Do not think it belongs only to astronauts or saints. The child watches the parent, the student watches the teacher, the neighbor watches the friend. Each act of courage, each moment of kindness, each choice of integrity becomes an example to someone unseen. You may not know who is watching, but someone always is — and from your life, they will learn what is possible.

What, then, should you do? Live as though your life is a lantern. Show the strength to pursue your dreams, not only for yourself but for those who will come after. Encourage the young with your example, not only with your words. Break barriers where you find them, so that the path may be smoother for those who walk behind you. And remember, as Sally Ride knew, that being a role model is not a burden, but a privilege — for it means your life has become more than your own; it has become a light for others.

Thus let this teaching endure: every great achievement is not only a personal triumph, but a beacon for the generations. And as Sally Ride soared among the stars, she proved to the world that the sky is not a limit but an invitation. To be a role model is to answer that invitation — to live so that others may rise.