Adolescents tend to be labelled as immature, naïve, selfish, uncaring and ungrateful. We ourselves have often been the objects of reproach and we have to confess how much these criticisms hurt us. People think that adolescents don’t care about anyone or anything, apart from how to have a good time. But surely this is a rather shallow belief. The adolescent mind wanders daily into unfamiliar territory. We get anxious, we worry and we make a lot of effort for a lot of things.
One of our biggest worries is about the future, we think about it constantly. It begins with trying to get a place at university, which has to be one of the most soul-destroying procedures faced by any teenager. Then comes the job search, which is usually for something that interests us, but which might mean having to move abroad. We wonder whether we will ever turn all our dreams into reality or satisfy our curiosity about the world. Will we be able to travel? Will we get to know new people and different cultures? Our goal is always to lead a happy life. Will we be proud of the person we will have become at the end of that journey of life? We also worry whether we will be able to still be ourselves and hold on to our values. Or will we have turned into yet another ordinary, lazy adult, who betrayed the child she once was, someone who has remained intellectually unrefined, caring only about money and the material world? We even wonder how we can contribute to making this world a better place.
Another thing that adults believe is that adolescents are only interested in their appearance and how to have a good time. More specifically, that they don’t care about the mental and physical state of those around them and that they have no sense of any problems or difficulties that others may be facing. But here we are, writing this article, in which we can assure you that we spend a large part of the day worrying about you. You are family. We fully understand the problems you have faced and are still facing on a daily basis. We care if you are well, and would like to cheer you up. We ask ourselves “Are we good enough for you?” “Are you satisfied with our efforts?” Teenagers don’t want to distance themselves from their parents; they want a meaningful, genuine relationship with them.
Our thoughts are not limited to the above but also have a religious, existential and personal aspect.
Why is there such a huge gap between the various religions when in fact they all advocate love and kindness? To what extent would a Buddhist be welcomed into a Christian society? Instead of keeping our religion private and spiritual, we have to declare it to the state right from the start, which goes against the whole point of religion. Who said that people who don’t believe in a God don’t believe in love, kindness and human ability? Why are so many wars fought in the name of religion leading to so much loss of life? Whenever we think of our world we ponder on how much beauty there is in nature and wonder how did a creature such as man come to be created, who despite his intelligence destroys it and is unaware either of its or his own good. We are all responsible, because we all live on this earth. So, what is our role in this life and how will we determine it? How will we find a way to connect with our environment and with those around us? And most important of all, what is our relationship with our own selves? With our soul and mind, with which we will coexist, and with our body in which we will reside all our lives. Isn’t that how everything begins? With love, with acceptance of ourselves and those around us.
The minds of teenagers are full of endless thoughts about difficult and complicated matters. At the same time, we look for answers in the world, in ourselves, in everything we observe and perceive. So don’t rush to conclusions. It’s not just about us…
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