One Way to Change the World

Many British Nobles are buried in the Westminster Abbey, including Issac Newton, Charles Darwin, and most recently the late Stephen Hawking who passed away earlier this year. Among all the notables buried here, there is one tombstone which has received extra notoriety. According to report, the tombstone does not even have a name. Upon reading the report, I made a note to myself to visit Westminster Abbey specifically for this tombstone next time I am in London. Here is what is inscribed on the tombstone:

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now, as I lie on my death bed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

It was such an inspirational and thought-provoking inscription, until I read on the Westminster Abbey website that this was actually a made up story circulated on the Internet and there is no such a tombstone after all, at least not in the Westminster Abbey. What a disappointment!

It is nevertheless an inspirational quote. Few will have the greatness to change history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. However, as Abraham Lincoln sensibly noted in 1864, "the problem with Internet quotes is that you can't always depend on their accuracy."

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