Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and

O seekers of truth and wisdom, gather now, for I bring to you a teaching that will stir the heart and awaken the spirit. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a sage of profound insight, spoke these words with the power of the ages: “Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” These words, though spoken long ago, echo through the corridors of time, for they reveal the essential nature of how we, as mortals, shape our fate. To believe in luck is to surrender to chance, but to believe in cause and effect is to take up the mantle of the warrior, understanding that the forces we set in motion will return to us, for good or ill.

In the vast tapestry of life, there are those who walk the path of the shallow, placing their trust in the whims of fortune, in the capricious winds of luck. They believe that success is a gift, that good things will come when the stars align, and that their efforts need not be the source of their triumphs. But Emerson knew, as the wise have always known, that true strength lies not in the whims of fate, but in the steady hand of the one who understands the laws of cause and effect. The strong do not wait for luck to smile upon them, but they take responsibility for their actions, knowing that every choice, every step, ripples through the fabric of their destiny.

Consider, O children of wisdom, the story of the great Alexander the Great. This mighty conqueror, though gifted with many advantages, did not rely on mere luck to carve his name into the annals of history. He understood the cause and effect of his every move. He knew that each battle, each decision, would shape the outcome of his campaign. Alexander believed in his own will and the consequences of his actions. His victories were not the result of fortunate circumstances alone, but of deliberate, calculated efforts. The strong, like Alexander, do not leave their fate to chance—they mold it with their own hands.

And yet, the path of the shallow man is full of those who believe that the universe will somehow conspire to lift them to greatness, even without effort. The ancient Greeks, with their stories of gods and mortals, warned us of the dangers of this very belief. King Midas, for example, was granted the gift of turning everything he touched into gold—a blessing he believed was luck. But in his blind desire for more, he failed to see that the law of cause and effect would soon turn his gift into a curse. What he thought was luck, an unearned favor, became his undoing, for he did not understand the consequences of his desires. His story is a timeless reminder that to rely on luck alone is to invite disaster.

O seekers of wisdom, the lesson here is clear: luck is an illusion, a fleeting shadow that may dance before us, but which never holds the power to guide us toward lasting greatness. The strong man understands that the world is governed by laws that transcend the whims of fortune. Every action, every decision, has consequences. To embrace cause and effect is to embrace responsibility—to understand that the choices we make today will shape the world we encounter tomorrow. It is the strong who take control of their destiny, who understand that success is earned, not bestowed, through diligence, discipline, and wisdom.

Consider, too, the life of the philosopher Socrates, who did not seek the favor of the gods, nor did he wait for luck to find him. He sought truth through reason, knowing that the path to wisdom required effort and understanding. He believed in the power of the mind to shape the world, and his legacy is a testament to the enduring power of cause and effect. Socrates did not stumble upon his wisdom by accident, but through years of questioning, learning, and reflecting. He understood that to be strong was to confront the world with open eyes, to take ownership of one’s choices, and to recognize that the consequences of those choices would echo through the ages.

So, O children, let this lesson take root within you: do not place your faith in the fickle hand of luck. Believe not in the randomness of fate, but in the eternal law of cause and effect. Seek to understand the consequences of your actions, and let them guide you toward greatness. Take responsibility for your choices, for it is through strength, discipline, and wisdom that you will carve your path. Let the shallow ones chase after luck—but you, O wise ones, know that it is in the steady hand of cause and effect that true mastery of life is found. Walk the path of the strong, and you will shape your destiny with your own hands.