More than a century ago, Gat Jose Rizal once quoted “The youth is the hope of our Motherland.” Now, after five generations, did something change? Has there been any instance where our nation improved brought about by them? Better yet, are we the batch of youth Dr. Rizal was pertaining to all this time?
Why us? Why the youth? Why the group of people who undergo vulnerable emotions and who only think of themselves? Couldn’t it just be the parents, or the government? If only he were alive, he could answer all of these. Nevertheless, it is up to us to unveil the mystery.
When a person thinks of the word “youth” he thinks of a person who brims with passion and energy to bringing his dreams into reality. In my point of view, there are two kinds of youth – the fighter and the careless.
The fighter can stand on what he thinks is right. He does every ways possible in order to prove himself correct. A fighter never gives up. He fights whenever oppressed. This is what Filipinos are before.
The careless, as the description implies, never cares. He minds not of anything apart from him. All he thinks of is the benefit of himself. All through the day and night he only sits back and do his favorite pastime. This is what Filipinos are now.
Let’s not talk about the past nor the future. Let’s rather talk about the present. In short, let us consider ourselves the batch of youth Jose Rizal is talking about, the youth who is the hope of our own Motherland. I have some few points why we should act now.
Never blame to your parents nor the parents of your parents the responsibility they should have done as Rizal has quoted. The more should you not pass on to your children and the children of your children the duty assigned to us. Think of it this way, if we were able to change the status of our nation, we would be considered heroes. Isn’t it great to prosper with your future family and claim to be because of you and the rest of the youth than to pass on the burden to the succeeding generations and suffer the consequences of your indolence?
A cliché states that life is a doughnut without Christ in your heart. If I may quote, life is also a doughnut without the contributing for a change. Doesn’t it feel unfulfilling that you haven’t done anything for anyone? It does feel better when you have made change in some sort of ways and prosper with it. For instance, during the Marcos regime, the people, especially the youth, have taken part in ousting the near dynasty. This is to point out that if they can, why can’t we? They both felt emptiness and eagerness to set our country into freedom. Now, in further crises, why can’t the present youth feel the same?
More and more youth engage in worldly practices. A lot of female students drop out of school because of teenage pregnancy. Many male students lose track of their grades because of various computer games. Education is the most important treasure of each person nest to Christ. If a person loses it, it would be the same as his life shattered. How can they be the hope of our nation if they themselves don’t have hope? The less hopeful youth are, the less the hope of a successful change is. Nowadays, life keeps getting on the way; obstacles try to hinder us from acting for the good. The situation goes from bad to worse if left that way. Therefore, if we don’t act now, the succeeding generations would have a harder time lifting the nation up.
Time passes by, youth forget our heroes. A survey has been conducted last Rizal day, and results have shown that more foreigners know our National Hero more than the native citizens. What do we expect? The foreigners would uplift our nation? No! Before this situation worsens, heroes becoming obsolete, let us act now. Let us not wait for anything else before acting or the better. It is now that we should act. This only proves to show that we should listen to our Philippine History teachers.
How should we act? Every little way counts. By just merely conserving the beauty of Manila Bay and rejuvenating Pasig River is an act of heroism. Making your voice to be heard also is an effective way. Don’t try to shut up when you see something wrong. Join legal movements and rallies, as for what legacy Americans have contributed to us. Fight whenever oppressed; but remember, unite as one so that we could see results more effectively, unlike what our previous heroes during the Spanish era have mistaken to do.
Don’t say that heroism is not going to work anymore. Let us reminisce what Philippine heroes have done during the Spanish, American, and Japanese invasions, and during the present times. The fact that we study history is to give admiration, respect, and remembrance to what they’ve done and contributed for the freedom of our nation. It can also become history and legacy when we, the present youth, had the power to change the status of our state, just as what Rizal has stated. Who knows, we might be the next Jose Protacio Marcado Rizal y Alonzo Realonda Quintos whom this nation needed all this time.
BY THE WAY.... This was my official essay entry in a contest... UNFORTUNATELY, it did not win.... Too bad...
Labels: patriotism
-this is my very precious bag since Second Year...
the stuff in it!!! :)
- my file case....
THESE!!!
