Childhood and Adolescence

My days of childhood and adolescence weren't easy. It's the time when I was still realizing and adjusting to the resources I was given in this life. I was realizing that with my physical fitness, I was unable to compete with my peers in routines requiring athletic abilities; that with my academic bent, my peers had no choice but to classify me as a nerd; that I was so reserved, shy and quiet, that I could be conveniently ignored by my peers; and that being born to highly educated parents in a middle class home, I couldn't afford to buy my peers' respect. Ah, the pressures from peers. Luckily, boys and girls didn't pair up in my schools during my time, that saved me a lot of headaches and heartaches.

We are born with lots of desires. We can't wait to grow up to realize our full potential and fulfill our desires. By then we accept our limitations and deficiencies, our body has reached it's full capacity, and we've learnt most of the arts/skills/techniques/skills we will in life. We can't wait to exploit the resources we have.

Childhood and early adolescence is marked by innocence. Now when I see kids I realize how vulnerable I was when I was young. I didn't quite understand my interests. I could easily be persuaded or coerced to perform against my better instincts. I am glad I grew up essentially in the company of my well-wishers.

The struggle during youth is to find your place in the society. I was adjusting my desires to the resources I had available then. I was searching for a career, set of hobbies and company of people where I could make the best of my resources and hopefully realize pleasures of public attention, fortune and influence.

Some guardians feel that the only way to give their kids a privileged childhood is to buy them everything money can get. They feel they should buy their kids the latest in educational electronic games, take them to the latest animation movies and theme parks, feed them the latest in healthy diets, bring them the latest in celebrated children's literature, let them choose from the latest in fashion in clothes stores and buy them all the sport's gear in the market. Where is the human element in all this? Without quality human interaction, how do kids learn their culture, tradition, values and religion? How do they learn how to borrow favors and ask for help if they can buy everything? Then how do they learn how to share their possessions? Will they form bonds with their peers with casual 'hi's and 'hello's, and learning the etiquettes and protocols for social gatherings?

Seeing children live deprived childhoods is truly heart wrenching, yet struggle brings out the best of human qualities. Children adjust quickly to limited resources and make the best with what they have. They appreciate the importance of the resources they get. They learn early about co-existence, sharing, and co-operation. Some understand and assume their responsibilities towards their family and community early in childhood.

The greatest gift my parents gave me was themselves. And trust me, they had a lot to offer. For this I am truly grateful. And though I didn't get everything money could buy, I feel I had a very privileged childhood.

Adolescence was a very sensitive time in my life. My body was undergoing many changes. I was full of energy and passion. It's the age when you register yourself in all rebellious, revolutionary, and extremist causes without second considerations. I didn't find one to. It's also the time when you realize and identify when attraction is sexual in nature. It's the time when you're so curious, you venture to explore the forbidden. If I had channelized my energy and passion then towards more creative, productive and useful activities, it would have added to significant accomplishments by now. But what's more important, is this realization, so the residual energy can still be used properly.

After becoming an adult, and after I started acting like one, I've been having recollections from my days of childhood, memories I would've never been able to remember intentionally. Childhood memories are about cuteness, innocence, curiosity, being cared for and loved. They are sweeter than sugar. Before my great grandmother passed away, she was in a semi conscious state, unaware of her surroundings, she randomly blurted names of her siblings, cousins and friends, people she hung out with 80 years ago. No matter what we do, where we go, what we acheive, what happiness we find, in the end the sweetest moments of life are those from when we started life with a clean slate.