Don’t waste a second of your spring!
by Nadira Gunatilleke
The youth....the spring of human
life....comes only once in one’s life. It is good to think how you
should spend your spring. What you should and should not do. You do not
need to think long and hard or listen to the `preachings’ of adults who
had wasted their entire spring destroying themselves and sometimes the
society. Just take a good look at the nature! You can find your way.
What you see during the spring ? How the nature behaves during the
spring ? No matter whether they are animals or plants all behave in one
way during the spring. Animals live happily and playfully with maximum
energy during the spring. Flowers bloom and trees are very much alive
and green. So this cannot be different with human beings because they
are very much a part of the mother nature.
 But the reality is not so when it comes to some youths no matter who
they are and what they do. But youth cannot be blamed for their
behaviour because it depends on how their parents brought them up. So
the responsibility goes to the adults. Some of the girls and boys who
are in the spring of their life show behaviour belong to winter. It is
not about all young boys and girls.
Therefore the healthy birds fly in the blue sky should not take it
personally ! Think which group you belong to. Think whether you are
proud to be in your group or not.
Think you are not employed or not engaged in any other regular
activity. The time is 9.30 in the morning. You are still in bed. Not
wanting to get up and start the day. Is it a behaviour that goes with
spring ? May be only now you notice it. Have you ever seen
animals...birds...stay awake till dawn singing and eating during the
spring ? Have you ever seen plants that sleep at night stay awake in the
night during spring? I don’t think so. So why you stay till dawn
drinking alcohol...may be smoking or hanging around with (may be drug
addicts) friends ? Now it is the time to take a look at nature.
“Ohhh machang...take at least one sip. Are you a girl or a boy ? What
is wrong with you man....at least just take one sip to show your
friendship...Oh machang show us that you have a backbone! This is
something you hear often during your spring. It is the time to show the
strength of your backbone character.
Have you ever seen a lion eating grass or runs away in fear of a
couple of buffaloes ? Have you ever seen an eagle fly away in fear of a
bunch of crows ? Now it is the time to follow the rule of nature. Show
them the strength of your backbone. Say no. Stay with them.
I was a young girl....it was a cold night in a European country. I
was surrounded by many girls and boys only from Sri Lanka. The
environment was safe. No `adult monitors’ or `reporters’ who report our
behaviour to parents/guardians once back home. Many girls were sipping
pure alcohol or alcohol mixed drinks. A bevy of girls came to me and
asked...`Why are you not taking at least one sip of red or white wine ?
Are you religious ? Are you shy or scared ?”...Mmmmm.... can you guess
what I told them ?
“You know what my mother told me when I was 16 ? It was nothing about
alcohol. She told me.....You have to be aware of every second of your
life. Otherwise others take control of you even for a while. You have to
have the control and record of every second of your life. So it is up to
you how you do that. It protects you from everything no matter how
dangerous things are”. I told the girls.
So if you do not wish to take alcohol or alcohol mixed drinks why
accept drinks offered by a `friend’ ? Open a fresh soft drink bottle and
drink from the bottle ! You will have an assurance of your safety and
you have a strong backbone!
So...please...don’t waste even a second of your spring. Be aware of
every second of your life. Enjoy the spring that comes once before
winter. Youth is the spring. It is there to live as a youth, not to
regret after reaching winter!
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