Our Youth - Turmoil - Spirituality - http://maxpages.com/fromtheheart/Our

Our Youth

Yesterday I walked the earth as a mature man, with determination, direction and very few worries; strong and tall, in a fashion that took me years to formulate and perfect. I Felt as though I knew what life was all about.

I came across a young friend of mine who seemed to be having problems. Concerned, I asked what seemed to be troubling him. His reply was as swift and as sharp as a double edged sword. He replied, “you're too old, and wouldn’t understand anyway.'' My immediate reply was simple and to the point " Believe me I know, I was once your age "

From what I remembered those were good years filled with excitement, experiences, enjoyment and, most of all, they were carefree. What could possibly be that bad for him?

He confided in me and then we seemed to bond. Our minds became as one as he told me of his fears and frustrations. As he spoke my mind became filled with darkness and fear, as though I had entered a long dark hallway with no beginning or end. We were in a place that was almost impossible to comprehend. Where was this place and why was a boy of his age in such surroundings? I could feel the confusion of his mind and the anger in his heart. His fear of the unknown was almost devastating and overwhelming. The tension was so intense and overpowering. I felt as though I were drowning.

In all my years I had never experienced such disoriented surroundings. My chest began to tighten as my heart beat uncontrollably hard and fast. I began to gasp for air and felt a knot forming in my stomach. Trying to control my thoughts, to no avail, I had to break this bond we were sharing to gain control of myself. After struggling for several moments, I felt myself returning to familiar ground, a place where I felt safe and secure.

I began to wonder where were the thoughts of girls, sports, friends and all the fun things kids of his age group are supposed to experience. Have we allowed our children to lose the most important part of their lives - their childhood? We say we know what they are going through, but do we? My young friend took me to a place I had never been in all my years and never want to go to again. Is it fair for them to have to enter these places alone?

At that precise moment I felt incomplete and confused, wondering where, as a civilization, we had gone wrong. Can it be reversed or have we put ourselves and our children on the path of destruction? Have we dug a hole so deep and dark that we can't get out?

As I regained my composure, I reached out my hand and told my friend that the path in life he had been drawn to was too much for any person to bear alone. "Lean on me and we shall walk life's path together and perhaps we will find the light at the end of the tunnel. Keep looking up and together we can overcome that horrible place".

I have learned from a person one-third my age. Life has many unforeseen paths and they are not necessarily the same as when we were young and we shouldn’t try to treat them as such. We shouldn't be so quick to judge for we never know how bad a situation is until we’ve experienced it ourselves.

Sleep well my friend, wherever you may be.--------YMIRon

© YMIRon@aol.com, 1999

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