YOUTH AS A PASSAGE

Introduction

"Life is but a stage" is a paraphrase of the well know quote from Shakespeare. This theatrical metaphor is true. We are all players on life's stage. If we play well we win, if we play without rules we lose right on the stage. In any case, spectators don’t win.

CDJ Mahagi soucieux de la formation intellectuelle des enfants et des Jeunes/  We help educate from the grassroot. Everyone has the right to go to school.

Learning to be on-stage 

Youths are never spectators in life. We are dancers, bad or good. As we dance we learn from others and the way they dance. Learning from good dancers makes us good dancers on the stage of life.  We become good dancers when we are ready to take a leap and risk. I mean that power to dare, to get engaged despite our fears and weaknesses. Not all are born great but greatness can be achieved when we get involved in life. Not all were born into extraordinary families. But it does not really matter for me what situation I find myself. What matters is the way I react to the situation that I find myself. As youths, we need to get that confidence from the beginning, it is important. I mean the confidence to start. Start by shivering but start, Start by crying but start. Start by fear and doubts but start. I like the French expression “ La petit vient en mangeant”. Spectators don’t play football. The act of trying, stepping into the play ground is what the French people call BRAVOUR. It builds confidence in us and in others. It opens avenues and channels.

learning from the grassroot. From football to classroom

Societies in all human cultures give a great deal of attention and importance to their young ones. Enormous sums of money and resources are spent and allocated by governments, state institutions and other bodies for the training, education and preparation of the youth in order to absorb and channel their great energies and potential. For the old have always known and assumed that no matter how great or high the efforts and material resources devoted to the training of the young, the investment is worthwhile and always pays off well in the end. "make use of your youth be- fore your old age . . .". “It is a fact of life that the time of youth is universally considered to be the time during which a person’s physical, mental, intellectual and moral faculties and potential attain their optimum level of development and application. It is the time when the mind shows its inventive and imaginative capabilities in the best form” [Ashur Shamis, ‘Youth is Strength’

I have seen elders who still live as if they were youths and are not happy as they grow old. They dwell in the past wishing they could “turn back the hand of time”. I wish I don’t become one of them in the future anyway. What I mean is that is better to live and to live well the youthful age of our lives. It is not good to belong to the past and to be making references to what has passed when were pursuing the future.

The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of youth as a stage of human existence.  To be aware of the fact their formative years (as youths) is the most productive stage in the human development and the longest period of one’s life. It is the period between childhood and old age. The most important distinctive characteristic of this period is the physical, mental and intellectual strength. If we lose it at the early stage, we lose it for life. Believers say: “Value five things before five other things: Youth before old age; health before sickness; affluence before poverty; leisure before becoming too busy; and life before death.”

The future of any society is dependent upon the youths: “Youth, in any nation, are the backbone which constitutes the element of dynamics and vitality, since they have productive energy and renewed capabilities. Nations usually rise up at the shoulders of its aware and enthusiastic youth.” (‘Quran Sunnah Educational Programs’)

Today, bringing up a child is very difficult. Children have their own ways of interpreting realities. Some parents are overpowered by the level of reason the children have. But I still believe if one spends his youth in God-fearing environment, it is most likely that the rest of his life will be spent in the same way. This means that the things that one does in youth will most likely have an effect on the rest of one’s life. The period of youth is a time when one is surrounded with myriad of temptations and the desires are at their peak. Hence, resistance is not easy except for those guided by principles and laws. 

colonie de vacance: Je joue, j'apprends/ Holiday camp by Mgr Marcel UTEMBI Youth Center Mahagi

As parents, guardians, and teachers we shouldn’t just teach. We need to educate.   Teaching makes youths to prepare for exams but they only become students studying for examinations.  Today we have many with certificates from qualified universities but wondering about in search of jobs. Some are waiting for the state to give them employment.  Education is more than just teaching.  When you educate you sow a seed for life. You are prepared to face life challenges and to create opportunities from what we have.

As a youth center, we want to educate, inform, give opportunities and raise awareness on how youths should be prepared for a better tomorrow. My Tomorrow must be greater than today. If you think education is expensive try ignorance.

Peter EKUTT