The word “youth–I have in mind people between the ages of 18 and 35, and for the sake of fairness and inclusion, we like to put between 36 and 45 as adults with the mind of youths. It is important first and foremost to note that every youth was born into a family, and the family falls into the groups that make up this society. It is interesting also to note that everyone called a youth, having been born into a family, is born into a family with a religion, or better still a system of beliefs that governs the spiritual life of the family. It is not out of place to therefore state that the youth is either religious or spiritual from birth. The family and society into which a youth was born was not by accident, and the youths have no say about their places of birth and by whom they were born.
The family structure, the society, and the nation into which the youths are born play important roles in shaping what the youths become eventually in life. Some families have flair and passion for formal education while other families may opt for the Islamic education. Some families consider having the two together while some families don’t even care about education at all. All these preferences take place in the same society. Some youths had the privilege of being influenced by their parents to embrace a religion of either Christianity or Islam, whereas some parents don’t even care for any of the religions. They are irreligious so to speak.
Some environments are considered advanced by reason of civilization and the availability of at least basic technological needs. Some others were brought up in less-developed communities where children hardly have access to electronics until after they’ve grown to become teenagers. The culture and traditions of families and the societies into which children were raised before becoming youths account also for the differences in their behaviors. What robs on our children through various cultures and traditions translates into what becomes their chosen moral values and behavior.
It is important also to note that the interactions that children have within the family, the society, and different places where activities and businesses are carried out by children affect their mental status. There is no gainsaying the fact that many children between the adolescent and the teenage ages were exposed to different kinds of interactions physically, culturally and spiritually, and these in various ways and forms affect the psychological state of the children. Some were physically abused while others were sexually abused.
In societies where children often witness violence of various categories, including killings, the mental health condition of such children will not compare favorably with those children who lived in a peaceful environment that is devoid of violence. The youths we have today are a product of different societies, races, and nations of the world, and to this end, emphasis on their personalities is of great importance and cannot be overemphasized.
What we’ve been able to establish so far is the fact that youths, by reason of their upbringings, perceive the world differently, and their perception, directly or indirectly, determines their overall behavior. One thing remains as an indisputable fact, and that is that we all share the same humanity and live on the same earth. So we also face the same problems as citizens of the world but respond to them differently.
The way forward is what we are poised to unfold, and we shall walk together as we chart a clear course that takes us to our desired destination of glory. Regardless of where you are as a youth, and where you desire to go from where you are, the same principles seem to work for all regardless of the differences in race, place of residence, as well as nationalities, and here we go…
You will need first and foremost as a youth to understand that it does not matter how rough the journey has been, starting afresh gives fresh vision, and wherever there is a vision there is also the provision. We should bear in mind that the currency, which is universal in the journey of life, is the idea. In the school of success, an idea is the greatest asset. It is possible that to have had this over and over that no amount of armies in the world is strong enough to stop an idea whose time has come. That is absolutely true, but impossible and inconsequential without a vision.
“Aim. Pursue worthy aims. Thomas Carlisle was once talking to a young friend and asked him what his aim in life was. The young man replied that he had none. “Get one then and get it quick!” said Carlisle sharply. “Make something your specialty. Life is a very uncertain affair. Knowing a little about five hundred things won’t do us much good. We must be able to do something well, that our work will be needed and valuable.” “–Kate L. Gates.
Don’t ever try to cross your bridge before you get to it. Rest assured, as soon as you make a discovery of your vision, that very thing that you are very passionate about and which you can do for hours without being paid, the provision that is needed to make the vision speak is already on ground ready for the vision. The youth should look inwards and connect with the true self, which makes the youth the excellency of power of humans and nations as well. That connection is the difference maker. It does not matter at this juncture what challenges you are faced with as well as the everlasting mountains and perpetual hills that have refused to bow. Connecting with your inner man is what makes for your presence and a trigger to your becoming a meaningful specific and not a wandering generality.
So, we are on course and not under a curse because the curse without a cause shall not be. This is the long-awaited moment of deliverance and transformation into the real you, regardless of your race, nationality, and religious affiliations.
We shall continue with this lesson from time to time. The next lesson will be more instructive, informative, and transformative. Until then, stay focused and blessed.
Samuel ‘Tunji Adeyanju
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