The other day, I found my nephew buried beneath a mountain of papers.
As Fire Lord, there is always another decision to make, another problem to solve, another meeting waiting just around the corner. When I suggested he take a break, he told me he could not.
"Uncle," he had said, "this is what I wanted, isn't it?"
I thought about this for a while over a cup of tea.
When we are young, we often choose a destination for ourselves. We say, "I will be a soldier," or "I will be a ruler," or "I will be a great artist." Then we spend years walking toward that future.
But a destination is not a prison.
Sometimes, after reaching the place you dreamed of, you discover there are other mountains you would like to climb. Sometimes you learn that the path you chose no longer brings you joy. Sometimes you simply need to sit beneath a tree and rest before continuing.
There is no shame in any of these things.
The future is like a river. You may guide your boat, but the water is always moving. New paths appear. Old paths disappear. The person you become at the end of the journey may be someone you never imagined when you first set out.
So work hard toward your goals, my friends. But remember to rest when you are tired. And if one day your heart leads you in a different direction, do not be afraid to follow it.
After all, even the finest tea leaves must be allowed to wander in the water before they reveal their true flavor.