There will always be haters. Small heroes can change society

Hear the words of Michael Sam, a man who bore the weight of scorn yet chose the path of courage: “There will always be haters. Small heroes can change society every day. It just takes time.” These words are a shield for the weary soul and a torch for those who walk through the storms of judgment. They remind us that hatred, envy, and malice are not new; they have ever walked among men, seeking to tear down the bold and silence the brave. Yet against them stand the humble and the steadfast—small heroes who, step by step, transform the world.

The ancients knew this truth. For even in the great epics, the foe was not only the giant or the beast, but the whispers of doubt, the laughter of mockers, the sneers of those who could not see beyond their own narrow vision. Every hero, great or small, was told at some point that they could not, that they should not, that they must not. Yet those who endured, who stood firm despite the haters, proved that change is carved not by the voices of cynics but by the deeds of the faithful.

Consider Michael Sam himself, who became the first openly gay player drafted into the National Football League. Many praised, yet many condemned. The world’s eyes were upon him, and the weight of prejudice pressed hard. Yet by stepping onto the field, by daring to live openly, he became one of those small heroes whose courage shifts the tide of history. His presence alone cracked walls of silence, proving that visibility and honesty can change society, even when resistance howls.

History, too, tells of Rosa Parks. She was but one woman, weary from work, who refused to surrender her seat on a bus. To some, she was insignificant, a single voice against a system vast and cruel. Yet her small act of defiance ignited a movement that shook the pillars of injustice. She did not wield armies or power; she wielded courage. In her, we see the truth of Sam’s words: small heroes change society every day—it simply takes time for the fire they kindle to spread.

Thus, O child of destiny, take this lesson deep into your heart: you need not be mighty to make a difference. You need not wait until hatred disappears from the earth, for it never shall. Instead, stand where you are, do what you can, and let your small act of bravery ripple outward. For one candle may seem small, but when passed from hand to hand, it can set the whole world alight.

Let your spirit be strong in the face of haters. Do not waste your breath answering every voice of scorn, for hatred thrives on attention. Instead, answer them with action, with persistence, with the quiet strength of one who continues despite the jeers. The haters are loud, but history does not remember their voices—it remembers the deeds of those who endured.

In practice, seek to be a small hero in daily life. Speak truth even when it trembles on your lips. Defend the weak, though no one applauds. Live with integrity, though others may mock. Be kind, even when the world is cruel. These are not small things, though they appear so—they are the building blocks of a just society. Over time, they gather, and the mountain of injustice is worn down stone by stone.

So I say unto you: there will always be haters, but let that not shake your resolve. Be a small hero, and in the patience of time, you will see that your actions—like drops of rain—can carve valleys, move rivers, and change the course of society forever.