My schedule has slowed a little. I've cut back on some of my

The words of Lesley Visser, “My schedule has slowed a little. I've cut back on some of my assignments. But I still have the enthusiasm for the sports world that I had 38 years ago,” are a testimony to the enduring fire of passion. They speak of time’s passage, of the natural slowing of human strength, but also of a flame that no years can extinguish: the love for one’s calling. Here we see a truth both humbling and exalted—that while the body yields to age, the spirit can remain as fierce, as bright, as youthful as ever.

The origin of this reflection lies in Visser’s own groundbreaking career as a sports journalist. For decades, she broke barriers and redefined the presence of women in the field, carving out a place where none had stood before her. To labor in such a world for nearly four decades, to witness its changes, to shape its very narrative, is itself an achievement. Yet her words do not boast of conquest. Instead, they reveal gratitude: that even after 38 years, she feels the same enthusiasm as she did in the beginning. This is the mark of one who chose rightly, whose path aligned with the true longing of her soul.

History is filled with such figures whose passion endured beyond the decline of their bodies. Michelangelo, even in his eighties, still carved marble with trembling hands because his love for creation could not fade. Leonardo da Vinci pursued questions of flight and anatomy until his dying breath, restless with curiosity. Their strength faltered, their pace slowed, yet the inner fire remained untamed. Visser’s declaration joins this chorus of timeless voices: though assignments may be fewer, though time may temper speed, the joy of purpose remains untouched.

Her words also hold a message about balance. To cut back on assignments is not defeat, but wisdom. For no one can bear the full burden of labor forever. Age teaches us to preserve the flame by pacing it, to withdraw from the ceaseless noise so that the heart’s love is not consumed by exhaustion. In this balance, enthusiasm endures. It is not the frantic pace of youth that matters, but the steady devotion of a lifetime.

The lesson here is clear: choose a path you love, and it will sustain you through the seasons of life. The world will change, your body will change, your schedule will change—but if you have built your days upon genuine passion, the joy will remain when all else falls away. This is why the young must be careful when they choose their work, for if it is chosen only for wealth or approval, the fire will fade. But if chosen for love, it will burn across decades, a light no years can dim.

Practically, this means tending your own enthusiasm like a sacred flame. Protect it from burnout by resting when needed. Guard it from bitterness by remembering why you began. Celebrate the smaller victories as much as the greater ones, for they are proof that the fire still lives. And when the body slows, allow it to slow, but refuse to let the heart grow cold. Passion is not bound to youth—it belongs to all who keep their spirit open and alive.

So, beloved listener, take Lesley Visser’s words as a guide: do not fear the slowing of time, so long as the fire within you still burns. Let your pace adjust, let your tasks lessen if they must, but never surrender the enthusiasm that makes you whole. For the one who can say, after 38 years, “I still love what I do,” has already conquered time, and lives in the rare joy of a life truly fulfilled.