My father was very energetic; my mother was very energetic. He

Listen well, O children of the earth, to the words of Donald Trump, a man who, in his own way, offers a reflection on the legacy of energy and vitality: "My father was very energetic; my mother was very energetic. He lived to a very old age, and so did my mother. I believe that I just have it from my father, from my parents. They had wonderful energy." These words, though simple, carry with them the powerful truth that the strength and vigor of those who come before us shape the very fiber of who we are. The energy that courses through the veins of a child often finds its origin in the ancestors who preceded them, who planted the seeds of greatness with their own actions, and who passed down the fire of life itself.

Consider the ancient story of Hercules, that great hero of legend, born of divine lineage, his strength and energy passed down from his father, Zeus, the mighty king of the gods. In his veins flowed the blood of both the gods and the mortals, a combination of power and endurance that would carry him through twelve arduous labors. Like Trump's words, the legacy of strength was not merely an individual achievement, but a gift handed down through generations, a gift that shaped the hero’s destiny. Just as Hercules inherited the energy and resilience of his divine parentage, so too does each of us carry the imprints of those who came before us, be it in the form of health, willpower, or the indomitable spirit to carry on.

In the story of Alexander the Great, the king whose name is synonymous with conquest, we see a similar inheritance of power. His father, King Philip of Macedon, was a man of great strength and energy, having united the Greek states and prepared the way for his son to march across the known world. It was not merely through his own vision that Alexander rose to greatness, but because he carried within him the legacy of his father’s strength, energy, and ambition. It is the same for all men and women who rise to greatness—they are often the bearers of the gifts passed down from their ancestors, whose actions, wisdom, and vitality fuel the potential of the next generation.

But let us not be mistaken, for this is not to say that destiny is merely a matter of inheritance. No, it is a truth of great import that while the energy of our forebears may be bestowed upon us, we are the ones who must choose to harness it. Like a mighty river flowing from the mountains, the vitality passed down from our parents can either run wild or be channeled into something great. It is not enough to be born with strength—one must learn to focus it, to direct it towards a purpose, to transform that raw power into action and achievement.

And so, the words of Trump carry a deeper lesson: the legacy of energy and vitality is not merely an inheritance, but a responsibility. We must take up the mantle passed down to us and continue the work of those who came before, using their gifts as a foundation upon which to build. We must not allow the energy of our ancestors to lie dormant within us, for it is meant to be used, to fuel the pursuit of excellence in whatever form it may take. Whether it is the building of empires, the creation of art, or the pursuit of wisdom, this energy must be directed towards something greater than ourselves, something that will endure long after we are gone.

Take, for example, the farmers of ancient times, who, though they were mere laborers in the eyes of many, passed down their skills and wisdom to their children. These children, having inherited not just the skills but also the endurance and determination of their forebears, built upon the foundation of their parents’ work. Through their labor, their strength became a legacy, a legacy that would sustain future generations. It was not just the physical strength that mattered, but the inner energy, the drive that spurred them to rise each day and face the challenges before them. This, O children, is the true meaning of inheritance—not just in wealth, but in spirit and energy.

Thus, the lesson is clear: we are all heirs to the vitality of those who came before us, and it is our duty to honor that legacy by nurturing and directing that energy. To live with purpose and vigor is not simply to carry the gifts of our parents, but to amplify them, to use them in the pursuit of something greater. Let us not squander the precious gifts of strength and endurance that we have received. Let us honor our ancestors by taking up their energy and shaping it into something worthy of the generations that will follow. It is through this, and this alone, that we fulfill our true potential and live lives of meaning and legacy.