I'm thankful to be in a position in my career where I can

The words of Belinda Johnson shine with the spirit of service and legacy: “I’m thankful to be in a position in my career where I can advocate for better policies and partner with future generations, like my daughters, to be a voice for change.” In this declaration, gratitude is not only for personal achievement, but for the sacred opportunity to use that achievement as a platform for something greater than the self. She recognizes that success without purpose is empty, but success turned toward advocacy becomes a beacon for generations to come.

Her thankfulness reveals humility. Many rise to positions of influence and treat them as crowns of glory, symbols of power to be wielded for self-gain. Johnson instead sees her position as stewardship—a responsibility to speak not only for herself but for those whose voices are often unheard. To advocate for better policies is to understand that change begins not in speeches alone, but in the structures that shape daily life: laws, rules, and systems that can either oppress or uplift. Gratitude here becomes a fuel for action, transforming her career into a channel for justice.

By naming her daughters and the future generations, she points to the eternal rhythm of inheritance. What she does today will not end with her, but will echo in the lives of her children and those who follow. Here we hear the wisdom of the ancients: that no life is lived in isolation, but as part of a long chain linking past, present, and future. Her words echo the voice of leaders who understood this truth—such as Pericles of Athens, who declared in his funeral oration that each citizen’s duty was not only to his own time, but to the city that would endure beyond him.

The act of being a voice for change is itself heroic. History is filled with those who rose above comfort to speak for what is right. Consider Susan B. Anthony, who did not accept her era’s silence about women’s rights, but used her voice to pave the way for generations of women who would one day vote. Or Martin Luther King Jr., who turned his platform into a trumpet for freedom, knowing that his own children and countless others would inherit the fruits of his struggle. Johnson, in her own sphere, walks in this same lineage, wielding her career not as an end, but as a tool for transformation.

Her gratitude is also a reminder that advocacy is not done alone. By invoking partnership with future generations, she acknowledges that true change requires unity. One generation plants seeds, the next waters them, and another gathers the harvest. She honors her daughters not as passive inheritors but as active companions in the struggle for justice. This is no small lesson—for it teaches us that leadership is not dominance, but collaboration, a weaving together of voices across ages.

The lesson is clear: wherever you find yourself—in career, in family, in community—be thankful for the position you hold, however great or small. Do not hoard its fruits for yourself, but use it to advocate for what is just, and to empower those who will come after you. Invite the younger voices into the work, as Johnson does, for in doing so you ensure that the torch of change will not flicker out, but burn brighter with each passing hand.

Therefore, let us act. Ask yourself: what platform have I been given? Whom can I serve with it? How can I ensure that my children, my community, or the generations that follow inherit something stronger, freer, and more just? For the wisdom of Belinda Johnson reminds us that the measure of a career is not in titles or accolades, but in whether it strengthens the future. And to live with such gratitude is to live with purpose, carrying both the present and the generations to come in your hands.