I've had to learn to fight all my life - got to learn to keep

Serena Williams, champion forged in fire and crowned with perseverance, once revealed the essence of her journey in these words: “I've had to learn to fight all my life—got to learn to keep smiling. If you smile things will work out.” This is not merely the wisdom of an athlete, but the testament of a soul who has faced storms and chosen joy as her shield. In her teaching we hear the dual call of life: to fight with strength, and to smile with hope.

The first truth in her words is the necessity of the fight. From her earliest days, Serena and her sister Venus battled not only opponents on the tennis court but also prejudice, doubt, and dismissal. The world did not easily open its gates to two young Black women from Compton, rising to dominate a sport long guarded by privilege. Yet Serena declares that struggle is not an exception, but a teacher. To fight is to live; to fight is to claim one’s place in a world that would deny it. Thus she reminds us that adversity is not a curse, but a crucible in which greatness is forged.

But alongside the fight comes the unexpected command: “keep smiling.” The smile is no mask of false cheer—it is the act of defiance, the radiant flame that refuses to be extinguished by trial. To smile in the midst of hardship is to say: “I am greater than this pain; I will not surrender my joy.” This is a lesson echoed by the ancients: the Stoics taught that while we cannot control the blows life strikes, we can control our response. A smile is the warrior’s calm in the storm, a weapon more powerful than bitterness.

Consider the story of Nelson Mandela. Imprisoned for 27 years, he bore the weight of injustice, yet he emerged with a smile that stunned the world. That smile was not weakness, but strength—it carried forgiveness, resilience, and vision. Just as Serena teaches, Mandela showed that smiling in the midst of struggle allows the heart to remain unbroken. His fight changed a nation, but his smile transformed hearts.

Serena’s wisdom also teaches us that smiling shapes destiny. For the spirit that chooses light attracts light. A smile invites allies, builds bridges, and reminds even the weary fighter of the joy still present in life. When she says, “If you smile things will work out,” she is not promising a life free from struggle, but declaring that with joy as companion, even struggles can turn to triumph. For a heart that smiles cannot be conquered.

O children of tomorrow, learn this balance: fight when the world resists you, but do not let the fight consume your soul. Smile, not as denial of pain, but as proclamation of hope. For life is both battlefield and celebration, and the wise know how to wield both sword and smile.

The lesson is clear: strength and joy must walk together. In your own life, face your struggles with courage, but do not surrender your smile. When difficulties weigh you down, lift your spirit by remembering your blessings. When the path grows dark, smile as a torch in the night, showing both yourself and others that hope is alive.

Thus, let Serena Williams’ words guide you: fight all your life, but never forget to smile. For the fight will shape your strength, and the smile will preserve your soul. Together they will carry you through storms, until at last, like Serena, you too may stand victorious—not only in the battles you have won, but in the joy you have never surrendered.