THE MOUNTAINEER

Teenage exuberance
EDISON L. BADDAL

Teenage is that period in a person’s existence characterized by unrestrained vigor, high spirits, lavish emotionalism and broadening perspectives. It is also the evolvement of a budding idealism with one’s enthusiasm and potentials at its prime -- a period in which childhood naivete is shed, and innocence in mind and attitude is inexorably supplanted by developing wisdom bolstered by increase in knowledge.

Among others, increase in knowledge and wisdom are some indicators of maturity. In essence, maturity is the occurrence of unhampered alterations in the social and mental dimensions of a person with changes in his physiological and physical make-up. Generally, intellectual changes in the individual are the product of combined exposure to different contexts, stimuli, social environment and experiences.

The above factors help in no small way in shaping up ideals, principles, temperament, disposition and thinking of a person. The different contexts that one is immersed into somehow sharpens one’s observation, wit and insights. It also engenders invaluable hindsight which
agglomerates in one’s being while traversing the threshold to adulthood.

But above all, childhood experiences play an integral part in an individual’s disposition,
conduct and behaviour, let alone mentality, which could either result in him becoming a bad egg, a cur or an asset to the society.

In its quintessence, teenage is that transitional phase where an individual’s potentials
are unmasked as they unfold and become easier to detect even as one’s destiny could be
predicted. eenage is also that exploratory period in which, given a person’s expanding awareness of the real world, he is forced to think of ways on how to be acceptable and likeable to others.

This is usually done by using whatever assets that one has to make others gravitate to oneself. This could either be in a form of a chic apparel with the end in view of making a fashion statement, a high-end wear in order to outshine everybody or punk hairdo to attract attention.

In all and sundry, being an attention-seeking stage, teenage period could either be a productive, sleazy or notorious period in one’ life even as it is also the period wherein curiosity is at its height. In the latter, teenagers are wont to experience everything they see in the adult world.

This is not limited to the favorable ones but to the contemptible ones as well. Worst among the latter is the tendency of teens to indulge in damaging vices which could have destructive effects to their tender, vulnerable bodies as well as in their values which results into deviant behavior.

Relative to the above, I observed on several occasions a bevy of highschool girls puffing cigarettes
while downing beer. On another table their male counterparts were gulping cupfuls of GSM gin while also puffing smoke.

What bothered me was not the act itself but the waste in money - money flushed down the drain through cigarettes and alcohol which were surely their parents’ hard-earned handed to them as allowance supposedly for their school needs.

Capping their impudence is the indifference to us adults seated beside them like as if telling
us implicitly to mind our own business.

The occasional disapproving looks that we obliquely threw in their direction did not make them flinch one bit. It could have been forgivable and acceptable had this been a party where there is a free and unlimited flow of drinks.

I observed this jaunty behavior with others at eateries which are a bit secluded from the prying eyes of the adults during daytime. They usually become bolder and rowdier during late evenings in those eateries which double as videoke bars. Of course, I have no business poking my nose unto such unpleasant acts knowing fully well that am not authorized to do so. However, the utter indifference to the presence of adults around them while they indulged in their vices made me quizzical.

It could have been proper for me to let invectives fly into them had they been my nieces or nephews but being totally strangers, I contented myself watching them flaunt their antics. While watching, I mulled about the possible failure of the institutions in their midst to orient them on the
proper values. Values which they could have imbibed at various times in their impressionable years.

The church, the school, government authorities and the home are the social institutions that have been installed since the historic times when people were organized into a formal group with
leadership structures to guide, restrict and regulate people’s acts along prevailing policies and rules. The guidance is usually focused on the behavior and conduct of children in their formative years for them to develop into mature, accountable and responsible adults.

Humankind had been developing and improving ways to regulate such acts, let alone prevent untoward acts through established governmental authorities. Such rules and regulations have been crafted and promulgated for maintenance of order and harmony.

The church takes care of the spiritual dimension, the school nurtures the intellectual sphere, government authorities take care of the political and economic dimensions while the home takes care of the social dimension.

In more ways than one, all these institutions are pitching in their efforts in molding an individual to become better persons even before the latter’s coming of age. However, the home plays a pivotal role in the molding of character. The church, school and government could only contribute
to a certain extent but the home is where an individual spends a lot of his time outside of his work, play or school time.

By all indications, a recalcitrant individual who enjoys playing bastard and bucking authorities including parental authority is a product of home where harmony and affection may have taken the backseat.

A home saturated with an air of hostility and disrespect is most likely a breeding ground of juvenile delinquency. No matter the efforts of the church (catholic or protestant)
to inculcate lessons on being a good individual being the temple of the Holy Spirit or the remonstration of school authorities to keep a sound mind and body or the government’s ultimate goal of producing law-abiding citizens, their remonstrances are like bells clanging without impact.

It is unlike the confines of a home where authority wielded by parents is more personal and
governed by linkage between parents and kids.

It is the main training ground where an individual is introduced to the right values and where the
elementary right conduct and good deportment are accentuated.

However, youth rebelliousness is often spawned by the double-standard approach of parents in treating kids. The lack of integrity of parents in their speech and conduct which is characterized
by inconsistency often leads to cynicism on the kids.

Gradually, disrespectful acts fly in the face of parents right within the home which they often manifest or let it out, outside the home. Disrespect of parents results in brazen disrespect
of all types of authorities be it the church, school or various government authorities.

It is lamentable how teenagers are proving to be wastrels of time and resources nowadays despite our unproductive economy.

Either high technology which is influencing greatly all facets of life nowadays is contributory to the erosion of values among today’s teenagers is anybody’s guess. Or whether it is the result of exuberance which characterizes teenage life is a subject to speculation. Or that simply
parents might have become lax and liberal in imposing discipline on their teenage brood.

Parents of exuberant teenagers would certainly be gladdened if the latter spend their time and money reading at libraries or browsing at the internet for worthwhile research works instead of spending hard-earned money on cigarettes and alcohol. Not only would it enrich their mental faculties but it would enhance their sense of economy in the use of money. What could be worse in this is that such vicious habits might worsen into illegal drug intake, petty crimes, prostitution and juvenile delinquency.

The above will surely the young to become law-abiding, responsible, mentally keen and morally
stable individuals who will successfully ford the difficult transition of teenage confusion.

The teenagers of today will be running the reins of authority tomorrow as adults and restricting their exuberance to worthwhile activities like sports and reading is an invaluable social investment. Rizal once said the vital part of the youth in nation-building through these lines in one of his poems:

Hold high your brow serene, O youth where now you stand,
Let the bright sheen of your grace be seen,
Fair hope of my fatherland.

Finally, the bible admonishes parents to love their children and never provoke them so
they will be their source of pride in later years.