Life is not usually that glamorous as potrayed
when you are sixteen! Albeit having no care in the world, hormones raging left,
right and centre, your body having a mind of its own as it changes biologically to the peak point of adolescence. It arouses feelings that tempt
one to unleash them, so as to have 'fun' most of the time! But then again, life at 16 years of
age has its low moments. Every teenager would tell you that they are experiencing
some kind of pressure. It could be either from one's parents, relatives, friends, academic institution,
religion or peer-pressure!
The kind of life one assumes in early adulthood is determined by how a
teenager sails through teen-hood. With such kinda pressure weighing down on a
teenager, without discipline and a guided mentorship programme, the teens early
adult life would be greatly compromised. As an African, our immediate family relatives
always monitored our behavior as we grew, so as to curb or rather tame any misbehavior. The girls had 'aunties' who, under a mother’s permission, teach
the girl how to behave and conduct oneself from the onset of her first
menses.
One is cautioned and warned not to be too cosy with or around the boys, as now, the
body has transformed and blossomed into this beautiful and 'ripe' young woman. All of
which, any opposite sex person would become sexualy attracted to you! The
attraction is good because you are deemed desirable but very dangerous because, the
girl is taught that her body is 'sacred!' and cannot be 'misused!' She should value, cherish and treasure her
body till a suitable suitor comes along to ask for her hand in marriage.
Ooooh...those were yester years! How times have changed! So much that only a selected few, especially those
in the rural areas, follow that tradition to the letter. A few try to uphold
the same despite residing in urban areas. We nowadays send our children to
boarding schools and abroad for further studies where they are exposed to all
manner of cultures and broad-minded teenagers and adults! As if that is not
enough, technology has also hugely contributed to the influence and spread of all
manner of behaviour and character imitation. Entertainment joints too, are sprawling up
almost every other place where our children are sucked up to drugs and
prostitution in the name of having fun!
As teenagers, they have this great ability to absorb
information and change and as Bob Dylon said "if you're not busy being
born, you're busy dieing!" To me, happiness consists of comfortably being where you belong as you go through
your everyday life. So... God grant me the STRENGTH to change the
things I can, the COURAGE to accept the things I cant and the WISDOM to know
the difference! Amen!
