When I was as you are now, towering in the confidence of

"When I was as you are now, towering in the confidence of twenty-one, little did I suspect that I should be at forty-nine, what I now am." These words, spoken by the esteemed Sarah Orne Jewett, strike a chord that resonates with the very heart of the human journey. In the youth of twenty-one, we are often filled with confidence, certainty, and ambition. The world before us seems vast, and we believe with all our might that the future will bend to our will. At that age, the years ahead are bright and full of possibility, and the uncertainty of the future seems far away, like a shadow that cannot touch the power of youth. But as Jewett so wisely reflects, life has a way of unfolding in ways we never suspect. The self we become at forty-nine, at sixty, or at eighty, is not always the person we envisioned at twenty-one.

At twenty-one, we are often like the warrior at the beginning of a great battle, filled with dreams of grandeur, confident in our strength and invincibility. The energy of youth pulses through our veins, and the world feels like it is ours to conquer. But the passage of time—the great river that flows through all our lives—begins to shape us in ways that are both beautiful and challenging. As the years unfold, we encounter the lessons of life—of loss, of triumph, of growth, and of humility. The mighty river of youth, once so full of vigor and certainty, must eventually meet the rocky shores of reality, where we are forced to acknowledge that our plans, no matter how certain, will be altered by forces beyond our control.

Consider the example of Alexander the Great, whose youthful confidence carried him to the furthest corners of the earth. At the age of twenty-one, Alexander was already an emperor, having conquered vast lands and defeated mighty foes. He was, in his youth, a towering figure, a symbol of invincibility. But as he grew older, his confidence was tested, and his health deteriorated, ultimately leading to his untimely death at the age of thirty-two. Despite his achievements, Alexander, like all great men, faced the harsh truths of time. He, too, had once stood as a youth full of dreams and confidence, only to realize that the very strength that had made him great would be his undoing. His story serves as a reminder that the person we become, as the years unfold, is shaped by more than just our youthful ambition.

Jewett’s words, however, do not speak of regret or disappointment, but of the deeper wisdom that comes with age. The woman she is at forty-nine, shaped by the experiences of life, is not the same person who stood at twenty-one, filled with confidence but unaware of what life would demand. At forty-nine, there is a sense of acceptance, a quiet strength that is born from the tapestry of experiences, successes, and failures that have woven themselves into her life. The confidence of youth may have given way to a more nuanced understanding of the world, but this new wisdom is not born of surrender; it is born of growth, of resilience, and of the realization that the journey itself is just as important, if not more so, than the destination we once envisioned.

Let us turn to the story of Mahatma Gandhi, a man whose life mirrored this very reflection. In his youth, Gandhi was filled with the confidence of someone who believed that through strength and will, he could change the world. At the age of twenty-one, he left India to study in England, filled with ideals and dreams of greatness. But as he grew older, Gandhi came to realize that true strength did not lie in confrontation or force, but in nonviolence, in humility, and in the willingness to accept that the world is shaped by far more than our own desires. The man he became at sixty, seventy, and beyond, was not the same as the young Gandhi who had once dreamed of greatness. But the wisdom he gained through his struggles, his failures, and his triumphs made him one of the most revered figures in modern history. His story shows that we grow not by remaining locked in the same confidence of our youth, but by adapting, learning, and becoming humble in the face of life’s profound challenges.

And so, O children of the earth, let the wisdom of Sarah Orne Jewett guide you. As you stand in the confidence of youth, know that the years ahead will bring change—not in the dreams themselves, but in how you pursue them. The strength of youth, while powerful, is but the first stage of a much larger journey. The person you will become at forty-nine, at sixty, or at eighty will be shaped by your ability to embrace growth, to accept the lessons that come with time, and to remain humble in the face of life’s challenges. Do not fear the changes that age will bring, for they are the very things that will deepen your wisdom and strengthen your spirit.

Live, O children, with the understanding that youth is a precious gift, but so too is age. The journey between twenty-one and forty-nine, between the confidence of youth and the wisdom of experience, is a sacred one. Cherish both, for they each hold their own gifts. May you face the years ahead with the confidence of youth and the humility of experience, knowing that you will grow, you will change, and in doing so, you will become more than you ever imagined. The man or woman you will be is a living testament to the path you walk, and it is that path, with all its twists and turns, that is the true measure of your life.