Opening — The Mirror of Time#

Stand before a mirror today, then recall the reflection from ten years ago. The face is not the same. The body has shifted, the eyes carry different stories, the mind holds new burdens and new wisdom. This is the truth of being human: we are never static. We are creatures in motion, sculpted by time, struggle, and choice.

The Nature of Human Change#

Humans are dynamic beings. Change is not an exception — it is the rule.

• Physically, we transform: the strong may weaken, the weak may grow stronger, the smooth skin of youth becomes the wrinkled map of age.
• Mentally, we evolve: ignorance can turn into insight, fear into courage, doubt into conviction.
• In fate, we shift: poverty can give way to prosperity, failure can become the soil of success.

Every year, every struggle, every decision writes a new version of who we are.

Examples of Transformation#

• From Fat to Fit: A person once mocked for their weight becomes an athlete, proving discipline can rewrite the body’s story.
• From Illness to Health: Someone living with chronic pain finds healing through persistence, lifestyle change, or medical breakthroughs.
• From Youth to Age: The soft skin of a child inevitably becomes the wrinkled face of an elder — a reminder that time itself is the greatest sculptor.
• From “Foolish” to Brilliant: A student once labeled “stupid” becomes a top achiever, showing that labels are not destiny.
• From Poverty to Success: A child born in hardship builds a business over decades, turning scarcity into resilience and vision.

An Inspiring Story — Oprah Winfrey#

Few stories embody human transformation as powerfully as Oprah Winfrey’s.
Born into poverty in rural Mississippi, Oprah’s childhood was marked by hardship, instability, and trauma. She wore dresses made from potato sacks, endured abuse, and was told she would never amount to anything. By all appearances, her fate seemed sealed.

But Oprah refused to let her beginnings define her. She found refuge in books, in speaking, and in the belief that her voice mattered. Step by step, she transformed her pain into power. From a local radio host, she rose to become the face of one of the most influential talk shows in history. Today, she is not only a media icon but also a philanthropist who has built schools, funded scholarships, and inspired millions.

Her story reminds us that change is not just physical or material — it is the rewriting of destiny itself.

An Inspiring Story from Indonesia — Chairul Tanjung#

Closer to home, Indonesia has its own remarkable story of transformation in Chairul Tanjung, often called “Anak Singkong (potato children)”.
Born in Jakarta in 1962 to a modest family, Chairul grew up in a small rented house without even a proper bathroom. His parents struggled financially, and during his school years he sold ice pops and snacks to help make ends meet.

When he entered university, his parents even pawned his mother’s precious cloth to pay for tuition at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Indonesia. That sacrifice became a turning point. Chairul vowed to stand on his own feet and never burden his family again. He started small businesses — photocopy services, selling T-shirts, making lab equipment — learning how to manage money and seize opportunities.

From those humble beginnings, he built what would become CT Corp, a business empire spanning banking (Bank Mega), media (Trans TV, Trans7), retail (Transmart), and lifestyle ventures. Today, he is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest and most influential entrepreneurs.

Chairul’s journey proves that poverty is not a permanent identity, but a starting point for transformation. His story resonates with millions because it shows that resilience, vision, and relentless effort can turn scarcity into abundance.

The Struggle Behind Change#

Transformation is rarely easy. It demands:

• Discomfort — stepping out of old habits.
• Persistence — enduring setbacks and failures.
• Vision — believing in a future self that does not yet exist.

Change is not a sudden miracle, but a long negotiation with time and effort.

Philosophical Reflection#

To be human is to be unfinished. We are not statues carved once and left untouched, but rivers that flow, bend, and carve new paths. The beauty of life lies in this impermanence: the chance to become someone different, someone better, someone truer to the self we seek.

“We are not who we were yesterday, and not yet who we will be tomorrow. We are the struggle in between.”

Closing Opinion#

Humans are dynamic beings. We change in body, in mind, in fate. Some changes are visible, others invisible. Some are chosen, others imposed. But all of them remind us that life is a journey of becoming.

So let us embrace the wrinkles, the scars, the victories, and the failures — for they are not signs of loss, but proof that we are alive, moving, and becoming.