Life Lessons From Uncle Iroh
an avatar story
Who is Uncle Iroh? Well he, in my opinion, is one of the greatest fictional characters and role models of all time. He is an animated character from the television series “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” He is considered a wise and compassionate member of the Fire Nation and is the uncle of Zuko. He is portrayed as a peaceful and enlightened character who values balance, humility, compassion, and most of all… tea! After recently rewatching Avatar for the umpteenth time, I decided I wanted to write an article describing some of the brilliant quotes and life lessons Uncle Iroh gives throughout the show.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from Uncle Iroh and a brief breakdown of each:
“Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else.” — LOK S2E10
Although this technically comes from the Legend of Korra (spoiler), it is one of my favorite quotes from Iroh. He spent years traveling the world with Zuko not only to help his nephew but to help himself as well. Sometimes life’s greatest problems seem impossible to navigate, but if we take the time to help other people along the way, we might just be able to figure out our own issues.
“You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.” — ATLA S2E05
A lot of people talk about hitting rock bottom and finding a way to crawl your way out of the never-ending hole. Sometimes it’s not what we are missing on the outside, but rather what we are missing within that causes these moments. If you can find a way to improve what’s within (i.e. your heart, your head, your mental fortitude, etc.) you can truly accomplish anything.
“Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.” — ATLA S2E09
For whatever reason when I hear this quote, I think of amazing leaders I’ve looked up to over the years. These people were beyond humble and always gave credit to their teams rather than themselves even though they worked tirelessly as well. It appeared even more so when the reverse happened. Something went wrong and instead of blaming someone on the team who it very well could have been their fault, these great leaders took the blame as they believed they did not provide enough guidance to help these people succeed in the first place.
“Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving… you will come to a better place.” — ATLA S2E20
Life can be hard. Really hard. At times it seems like it can’t get any better no matter what we do. This quote ties into persistence and one's ability to keep going even when things seem dreary. You never know what will happen next in life, but sometimes you just have to release your desire to control it all and hope that light finally comes through. This episode of Avatar was beautiful in its own way, but we also got an amazing quote out of it.
“Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.” — ATLA S2E14
This reminds me of people also telling you to make the most of it regardless of the situation. Rain on your wedding day? Splash around. At the end of the day, people are wonderful, and spending time with them regardless of where you are, or what you are doing, you can always experience the wonder of Life and its beauty.
“It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.” — ATLA S2E09
This can be taken in many directions but to me it makes me think of watching/reading the news in the morning. I feel like growing up I was told so many times to never stick to just one news station as the truth was always somewhere in the middle. The same can be said for your social groups and who you interact with. Stick with one group with the same mindset all the time and you really limit your knowledge and understanding of the world.
“There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life, and why.” — ATLA S2E17
“It is time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions: Who are you, and what do you want?” — ATLA S2E17
These quotes make me feel so optimistic about the future. So often we are caught up in finding our purpose, making a lasting impact, and influencing the masses. A simple and quiet life is a wonderful life that you should not take for granted. We just have to do some soul-searching from time to time and ask ourselves the hardest questions to figure out what kind of life we really want.
“Follow your passion and life will reward you.” — ATLA S2E19
My father always told me something similar growing up, but his phrasing was more along the lines of, “Find what you love to do and find a way to make a living at it.” The truth really is, that if you are passionate about what you are working on, you’ll do amazing things and build wonderful creations. In time, people will come and so will the compensation (not always in a monetary way).
“Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love.” — ATLA S2E20
This reminds me of some teachings from Naval Ravikant. He has stated numerous times that people who chase power and status will never truly be happy as it’s something they can’t reach the summit of. They will constantly be chasing some milestone that keeps getting pushed back and ultimately never feel happy.
“While it is always best to believe in oneself, a little help from others can be a great blessing” — ATLA S2E15
“There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you. Not that I love you. I just met you.” — ATLA S2E08
These quotes go perfectly together as they tie in a similar theme of how it’s okay to ask and receive help from others. Don’t let your ego get in the way and accept help from others. People are inherently good and want to be there for one another when they need them, especially our loved ones.
“Even in the material world, you will find that if you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see.” — LOK S2E10
In life, it’s always easy to be pessimistic, but true strength is when one is optimistic even during the darkest times. It’s hard to get out of these endless feedback loops of negativity and sometimes they feel as though they go on forever. When you can find a way to break free and you look for the positives in life, they’ll come running.
“The best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup.” — ATLA S2E05
Money does not equal happiness. So many people I know think the more money they have or the more material items they acquire will provide them with more happiness. Happiness is something that comes from within and is never truly something one acquires, but rather something you always strive for.
“Destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny some day.” —ATLA S3E12
No words needed.
And that’s it! These are some of the more famous quotes from Iroh over the seasons, but there are plenty more where that came from. This show is amazing in so many ways and each character’s story/arc can teach you so much about yourself. Just remember to respect others, accept help, follow your passions, and most of all… love tea!
