96-year-old man shares precious advice that's changing everyone's outlook on life

Not everyone has the ability to capture their life stories and wisdom for others to learn from, especially as they grow older. Oleksandra Al Zakhran (@polleksandra) from Toronto, Ontario, is changing that by creating a repository of wisdom on her social media. Zakhran is a street interviewer who gathers life advice from random people for her audience to reflect on. In July 2023, she interviewed a 96-year-old man named Samuel, and his inspiring words have since resonated with an incredible 35 million people.

“What life advice would you give people,” Zakhran asked Samuel. With a chuckle, Samuel looked up at the sky and replied, Samuel replied, “Well, you know, I don’t like going back, because there’s nothing you can do about the past. I would say, accept where you are at and move on and try to be in the present.” He elaborated on the idea of “living in the present moment” and said, “Have gratitude for what you have. Have compassion and accept what is.” Then, he shifted to another dimension, sharing some Stoic wisdom. “If you can change it, okay, but there are some things that you need to accept, that you can’t change. And if you can’t change it, let it go.”

Samuel concluded his advice with, “Be who you are and people will like you.” “This is the most refreshing thing I heard this week. Thank you, Sir,” commented @danialvarenga.arq. @thiasgvelasco added, “Life well lived I guess. Awesome words of wisdom.”

In another scenario, Zakhran interviewed a 62-year-old man asking him what life advice he would give to people in their twenties. He advised young people to stay aware of the technological changes that might end up swallowing their jobs, especially those working in finance, law, or media. “Don’t get stuck in a rut. Always be mindful of what’s going on around you,” the man said.

But Zakhran doesn’t just interview old folks. In quite a contrasting event, she recorded another video, this time interviewing a 5-year-old girl. This video too has garnered a mammoth viewership of 28 million. The 5-year-old said she had a boyfriend. “His name is Rayson,” the little girl said cheerfully while munching on a chunky juicy red apple. When asked how long she had been with her boyfriend, she coolly replied, “For two years.” Zakhran asked her how someone gets a boyfriend. The lovely girl said confidently, “You get a boyfriend by talking to them and then they’ll fall in love with you!” Pretty good relationship advice.

These gems of wisdom are worth noting down and cherishing. As for the 96-year-old man, Zakhran posted an update in February 2024, revealing the sad news of his demise, “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that the remarkable man, Samuel, featured in our video passed away. Our thoughts are with his family during this time.”