My mom told me to hang around with the right people. That's what

When Ken Griffey Jr. said, “My mom told me to hang around with the right people. That’s what I’ve been doing. Just taking it easy and having fun,” his words carried the lightness of youth, but beneath them lay the wisdom of centuries. This is not just a lesson about companionship — it is a reflection on the power of influence, on how the souls we choose to walk beside us shape the destiny we create. His mother’s advice, simple and maternal, holds the kind of truth that ancient philosophers would have written on stone: that one’s character is a reflection of their company, and that peace comes not from solitude, but from surrounding oneself with those who nurture the spirit rather than drain it.

From the earliest times, the sages understood this. The philosopher Epictetus warned, “Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you can improve.” The wisdom of the ancients was clear — virtue grows in the garden of good company. Griffey’s mother, in her simple counsel, was speaking this same eternal law in the language of love. To “hang around with the right people” is to build a fortress of friendship around one’s integrity, to protect the flame of joy from the winds of corruption and despair.

For Ken Griffey Jr., a legend of baseball, this advice became more than moral guidance — it became a compass in the storm. The world of fame and glory is filled with temptations that can swallow the brightest stars. Many before him, drawn into circles of pride and indulgence, lost their way. Yet Griffey, raised with humility and awareness, learned to choose wisely. His ease and joy, the grace with which he played the game, were born not of arrogance but of alignment — of living among people who grounded him, reminded him of who he was, and allowed him to “take it easy and have fun.” The right company does not compete with your light; it helps it shine without burning out.

History, too, offers countless mirrors to this truth. Consider Alexander the Great and his tutor, Aristotle. Though one wielded armies and the other words, their companionship shaped an empire of both conquest and thought. Aristotle instilled in Alexander the discipline of the mind, the love of learning, and the moral compass that guided his early reign. Without that influence, Alexander’s power might have devoured him from within. The ancients knew — the right mentors, friends, and companions are the architects of one’s destiny.

To “take it easy and have fun” may sound simple, but it is, in truth, the fruit of wisdom. Those who keep the right company live without fear, because their hearts are safe in the presence of goodness. They can rest and laugh freely, because they are not burdened by deceit or false alliances. In this way, ease becomes a reward of virtue, and fun becomes the natural expression of a spirit untroubled by toxicity. True joy is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of harmony — and that harmony comes from walking with those whose hearts are good.

The lesson here, passed down from mother to son, and from athlete to admirer, is timeless: be vigilant in your associations. Every friendship is a seed — some grow into trees that shelter you for life, and others into weeds that choke your purpose. Choose those who lift you higher, who speak truth even when it hurts, who celebrate your peace as much as your success. And in return, become that person for others. The quality of your companions is the silent prophecy of your future.

So, to those who listen, remember this: surround yourself with light, and you will not stumble in the dark. Seek out those who remind you of your highest self, and let them walk beside you. Like Ken Griffey Jr., keep the wisdom of your elders close — take life with grace, with laughter, with faith in good company. For in the end, the people you walk with will determine not only where you go, but who you become on the journey.