The Wisdom of Youth

When I hear the word ‘youth’, the first thing that comes to my mind is inexperienced. Without the essential material of life, without the experience of decades, youth is always left in darkness without a guide.

Is that not the reason we hold on to our creators, our mothers and our fathers to protect us from this dark world? To shine upon us like the sun. To watch our moves from the sky like a hawk. To be our shepherds in this vast chasm of uncertainty.

But why, are we so weak? So insignificant, so small and so feeble in this world. Why do we depend on our creators to survive, to grow, to learn and to gain wisdom? Why can we not stand on our feet, firmly and strong? Why do we constantly make mistakes? Why does the youth ultimately fail in desolation?

We, the youth, lack a strong character, we lack the roots entangled to the source of our existence.

We, the youth, lack knowledge of our surroundings. We are cut off from the true cores of life.

We, the youth, lack experience that helps mankind to confront the complexities of life.

Without all these, how can we call ourselves truly wise? How can we claim to have any wisdom?

For me, life can be seen as a vast chasm of darkness. An unknown and hostile place for the fledgling youth. Luckily, a ladder up to maturity waits. But this ladder is treacherous and slippery.

But we also have our helping hand, our parents who hold on to our hand as we ascend.

As all faulty creatures, we may believe we have discovered our inner light. We may believe we have reached the top of the ladder. With the drunkenness of victory that arrives when me manage to climb up a step, we may very well forget the existence and importance of that helping hand. We may foolishly claim we have gained the self-sufficiency, the knowledge, the character and the experience that will make us wise.

This is it dear listeners, the wisdom of youth, as you call it. An illusion that arrives from small accomplishments in our short lives.

A life, less than two decades. The life of a baby who tries desperately to be recognized. Such a life can not provide enough experiences to achieve wisdom.

‘But what are exactly these experiences?’ you may ask.

The experiences we need to acquire wisdom are the bitter challenges of life.

Without being hammered down by the pain of life, without feeling the tip of the sword and embracing such bitterness, one can not gain wisdom.

However we also need love, friendship, trust, happiness and other beauties life has to offer. We need the sweetness of sugar and the soft skin of our lover.

Can youth embrace all of these?

Can youth truly feel all of these?

Unless, we reach the top of the ladder and taste the sweetness and feel the stone, we can not claim to be wise.

Let us not kid ourselves.