One of the secrets of life is that all that is really worth the

Hear, O seekers of truth, the gentle yet mighty wisdom of Lewis Carroll, author of dreams and teller of riddles: “One of the secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others.” Though known to the world as the creator of Wonderland, Carroll—whose true name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson—was not only a spinner of tales but also a man of deep moral vision. In this saying he unveils a truth hidden from many: that the deeds of self alone fade into dust, but the deeds done for others shine with eternal worth.

For what is a man’s life if lived only for himself? He may gather riches, he may chase pleasure, he may heap honors upon his name, yet when his days are ended, these trophies crumble like sand in the tide. But the act of kindness, the gift of compassion, the sacrifice made for the sake of another—these live on. They are remembered in the hearts of those who received them, and they echo across generations as examples of true greatness. Thus Carroll calls such deeds “the secrets of life,” for they are the hidden treasures that endure when all else perishes.

Consider the story of Florence Nightingale, who left behind comfort and station to tend the wounded in the Crimean War. Her nights were long, her labor unceasing, her own health broken by the burden of care. Yet she did not work for glory nor for gain, but for the suffering soldiers who needed her light. She changed the face of nursing, saved countless lives, and left behind a legacy of service. Her greatness lay not in what she took for herself, but in what she did for others.

History itself is shaped by such souls. Think of Oskar Schindler, who in the dark days of the Holocaust risked his fortune and his life to save over a thousand Jews from death. He could have chosen to enrich himself in safety, but instead he gave, and in giving, discovered the true worth of his life. Though his name might otherwise have been forgotten, it is now honored because he embodied Carroll’s truth: that the only deeds worth doing are those that serve others.

Yet this wisdom is not only for saints and heroes; it is for all of us. The mother who rises at night to comfort her child, the neighbor who helps the weary stranger, the teacher who gives her strength to guide young minds—all are living this secret. They may seem small in the eyes of the world, but in the balance of eternity, they are the deeds that matter most. For every act of service plants a seed of goodness that will grow beyond the sight of the giver.

The lesson is clear: do not measure your life by what you have gained, but by what you have given. Let each day hold a deed of kindness, each season of life a gift to another. Ask yourself not, “What did I take today?” but, “Whom did I help?” In the end, when you stand at the twilight of your days, it will not be the possessions you remember, but the faces you touched, the lives you lifted, the burdens you shared.

So I say unto you, children of tomorrow: live the secret that Carroll revealed. Let your ambition be not to climb highest for yourself, but to raise others with you. Make of your life a gift, and you will discover joy deeper than pleasure, honor greater than fame, and a legacy brighter than gold. For in the end, all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others, and in such deeds, we touch the eternal.