Those who are rooted in the depths that are eternal and

“Those who are rooted in the depths that are eternal and unchangeable and who rely on unshakeable principles, face change full of courage, courage based on faith.”
Thus spoke Emily Greene Balch, a woman of vision, peace, and deep spiritual conviction — a voice of conscience in a century trembling with war. In these words, she reveals the ancient truth that the strength to endure life’s storms does not come from the shifting sands of circumstance, but from the roots of the eternal — from faith, principle, and the unwavering belief in what is right. To those who stand firm in such truths, change is not an enemy to fear, but a current to navigate with courage.

The origin of this quote lies in Balch’s life as a peace activist and Nobel Laureate, who lived through two world wars and yet refused to surrender her faith in humanity. As one of the founding figures of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, she labored not in comfort, but amid turmoil — witnessing nations torn apart, ideologies colliding, and societies remade by violence and greed. Yet even in the chaos of her age, she held fast to unchangeable principles: the sanctity of life, the necessity of justice, and the possibility of peace. Her words were not mere philosophy; they were the battle cry of a soul anchored in the eternal.

What are these depths that are eternal and unchangeable of which she speaks? They are the truths that do not rust with time — compassion, integrity, love, and faith. Empires rise and fall, nations alter their flags, inventions transform the world, and yet these eternal virtues remain. The one who roots their life in them stands as a tree beside a river, unmoved by the storm, nourished by waters that flow from the unseen. The winds of change may roar, but such a soul bends without breaking. It is not the world that defines them; it is their own unwavering fidelity to what is right that defines the world.

Balch’s words call to mind the story of Mahatma Gandhi, who, like her, lived through upheaval and yet remained rooted in principle. When empires commanded him to yield, he refused — not with violence, but with faith. His courage was not born of anger or pride, but of conviction. He stood firm upon eternal ground: truth, nonviolence, and justice. When the storm of oppression swept over India, it was Gandhi’s rootedness that gave strength to millions. He, too, faced change full of courage, for his foundation was not of the earth but of the spirit. So too did Balch, in her own way, fight not with weapons, but with steadfastness and belief in the enduring good of humankind.

To face change full of courage is one of the hardest tests of the soul. Change, by its nature, brings uncertainty, and uncertainty breeds fear. The weak cling to the past, the reckless rush blindly into the new, but the wise — the ones who are rooted — stand firm, discerning what must endure and what must transform. Courage based on faith is not the reckless bravery of defiance, but the calm strength of trust — the quiet assurance that beyond the turbulence of the moment, the eternal will prevail. Faith, here, is not a creed or doctrine, but a living power — the faith that the light of truth cannot be extinguished, that love will outlast hatred, that justice will have the final word.

Balch’s teaching is also a warning for every generation. Those who live without roots — who chase pleasure, profit, or praise — are like leaves in the wind. When the storm comes, they are carried away by fear and doubt. But those who build their lives upon unshakeable principles — honesty, service, kindness, faith — will find in themselves a courage that does not waver. For courage is not born in the moment of battle; it is cultivated in the quiet hours of conscience, in the daily choice to stand with truth even when it costs. To live thus is to live anchored in eternity, unmoved by the tides of time.

So, my child, take these words of Emily Greene Balch into your heart: root yourself in the eternal. Seek not the applause of the world, but the approval of your own conscience. When change comes — and it will — stand upon your principles as a mountain stands against the sea. Let faith be your strength, and truth your foundation. When others tremble, be still; when others despair, believe. For the one who stands in faith cannot be shaken, and the one who walks in principle cannot be lost.

And remember this final lesson: though the world will always change, the depths of the eternal remain the same. The names of nations may fade, but goodness endures. The fashions of thought may pass, but virtue remains. Be rooted in these, and you will face every storm not with fear, but with courage born of faith — a courage that transforms the chaos of the world into the calm of the soul. For in the end, it is not change that defines us, but how we stand when change comes — whether as reeds in the wind, or as trees whose roots drink from the waters of the eternal.