"So Long as Men Can Breathe": Shakespeare - Understanding Legacy Later in Life

I'm not a literary scholar by any means. The idea of Elby and literary scholar in the same sentence humours me. I have never understood the fascination for Shakespeare for most of my life. The best I could do was nod politely at quotes and references without digging into their meaning, even pretending I had read them. But there was one quote.

I heard years ago and maybe I didn't appreciate, yet it lingered in my mind. My research now tells me it was a few lines from Sonnet 18:

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

So long as men can breath... Shakespeare

I recently heard it in an interview with Donald Sutherland. It is the kind of voice that makes everything sound profound, even if you don't fully grasp it. The way he delivered those words—steady, reflective, rhythmic, almost as if he was trying to tell me something I needed to hear. I didn't think much of it before. But hearing it now, it's different.

I've been building FeelGood40Plus and exploring what legacy, impact, and wisdom mean. All of a sudden, those words found their way back to me. It was as if a door I hadn't opened before was now open. Let me tell you why.

The Moment Legacy Became Real

Something is unsettling about realising how long it can take to truly get something. Years ago, Shakespeare's words were just poetry—to many, beautiful but abstract. Today, could they possibly be a mirror?? What finally clicked was the idea that our legacy isn't about fame or fortune but the impact of our words, wisdom, and lives we touched.

It's ironic. We spend so much time chasing things that fade—careers, looks, approval—only to realise that what matters most is what lasts long after we're gone. For me, that's become the core of what FeelGood40Plus is about: helping people build a legacy that outlasts them, a legacy that's measured not in trophies but in transformations.

Why Wisdom Takes Time to Sink In

Looking back, I realised I didn't understand that quote initially because I wasn't ready to. Some truths require a bit of living first. You need to taste failure, heartbreak, and the disillusionment of chasing things that don't satisfy. Only then—when the shiny layers get stripped away—do you start seeing what matters.

Maybe now I understand the beauty of Shakespeare's words, which is that they didn't change—I did. The same is true for all of us. The wisdom we dismiss in our twenties is the same wisdom we cling to in our forties and fifties. Only after a few stumbles and wins that felt hollow (I have a few) can we start to see the value of a legacy built on something deeper than achievement.

Legacy Isn't What You Leave, It's What You Live

One of the biggest shifts I've had recently is understanding that legacy isn't about what you leave behind someday. It's about what you live every single day. It's in the words you speak, the lessons you teach, and the kindness you show when no one's watching. Shakespeare's sonnet lives on not because of statues or bank accounts but because of the truth it captured about the human experience.

In the same way, the real measure of our legacy is in the everyday moments—how we handle failure, lift others, and keep going when it would be easier to quit. That's the wisdom I wish I'd grasped sooner, but maybe it takes a bit to understand that our real impact is in the lives we touch, not the things we accomplish.

The Power of Words and the Lives They Touch

I think about how Sutherland delivered that quote—how certain he sounded. But maybe that's the legacy of powerful words: they stick, echo, and wait patiently when you're ready to understand them. Or it could be how he delivered it.

Words can plant seeds that don't sprout until years later. This makes me think about the blog posts and the coaching conversations with people trying to find their way. It's humbling to consider that some of those words might echo long after I'm gone, shaping someone else's journey the way Shakespeare did for me.

That's the thing about legacy—it's not about being remembered for the sake of being remembered. It's about leaving behind something that makes the path clearer for those who come next.

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It's Not Too Late—It's Never Too Late

Here's the part that gives me hope: the fact that it took me so long to get this doesn't mean it's too late. It's proof that it's never too late. If you're breathing, you can start building a legacy that matters.

Whether it's through your words, actions, or how you show up for the people around you, your legacy is already being written. Every choice is a line in that story, and every moment is a chance to make sure it's a story worth telling. Your story...

Final Thoughts: "So Long as Men Can Breathe"

Shakespeare's words live on because they capture a truth that doesn't expire: as long as you breathe, there's time to change, impact, and leave something that outlasts you. Legacy isn't just for the famous or the wealthy—anyone brave enough to live fully, love deeply and share their story honestly.

So, consider it your reminder that it's not too late to start living the legacy you want to leave. The words you share, the kindness you offer, and the wisdom you pass on matter more than you might ever know.

The pages of your legacy are being written right now. Make them worth reading.