PSG
It has never been easy to be young and black in America, and the events in Ferguson have brought this home. Events like this hit the youngest, especially as they demonstrate that an already uncertain future is all that more uncertain. With all that is against them. all I can do is offer some basic advice, even as I recognize that it may be a bit cliched. That first cliche is that not all is as bad as it can be and that things can get better, but you need to be the one that makes the change in your life.
Here's the deal: I know that this advice will fall on initially deaf ears. Once you have made the mistake yourself once, twice, hopefully no more than than three times. Experience is unfortunately the best teacher. So while you may ignore this advice on hearing it, keep it in mind for when you fail and this may help you pick up the pieces.
1) Focus.
Decide on what you want and where you want to be when you grow up. Now is the time to start working towards that. You need to draw up a plan and start putting it into action. By working toward a future you may be able to escape where you and hopefully bring others with you.
2) Dream of success, not glory.
It's easy to hew to the path of glory. It offers the greatest reward for the least effort, albeit with the greatest risk of failure. Boys tend to stick to the path that their heroes have tread, yet this can be dangerous as we don't call them heroes for nothing. I say this because it's easy to get follow the same path as those that we have seen become famous who have the same skills that we do. Find your own path, and find your own success.
3) Resist peer pressure.
Nothing is more powerful than the desire to be liked and loved by one's peers. At the same time, there is nothing more dangerous than seeking acceptance. You will do things just to be part of the group and some of those things will be things you regret. Again, strive to follow your own path. Seek advice from others, sure, and defend those you love, but you need to realize that limiting your actions to following the herd will always be the path to ruin.
4) Be part of something.
As humans we're intrinsically social animals. We're at our most powerful when we act as a group. By being part of a group we make ourselves greater than we are. You gain a lot of strength by being part of something bigger than you are. This is not a contradiction of the last statement; you just need to know when to be part of a group and when to be yourself. You need to realize when something is wrong, when it's going the wrong way, and not be afraid to change that path.
In short, be you. Whatever that is, find it, and embrace it. Follow that to the end just to see where it goes. You only live once, right? Why waste it being someone else?
It has never been easy to be young and black in America, and the events in Ferguson have brought this home. Events like this hit the youngest, especially as they demonstrate that an already uncertain future is all that more uncertain. With all that is against them. all I can do is offer some basic advice, even as I recognize that it may be a bit cliched. That first cliche is that not all is as bad as it can be and that things can get better, but you need to be the one that makes the change in your life.
Here's the deal: I know that this advice will fall on initially deaf ears. Once you have made the mistake yourself once, twice, hopefully no more than than three times. Experience is unfortunately the best teacher. So while you may ignore this advice on hearing it, keep it in mind for when you fail and this may help you pick up the pieces.
1) Focus.
Decide on what you want and where you want to be when you grow up. Now is the time to start working towards that. You need to draw up a plan and start putting it into action. By working toward a future you may be able to escape where you and hopefully bring others with you.
2) Dream of success, not glory.
It's easy to hew to the path of glory. It offers the greatest reward for the least effort, albeit with the greatest risk of failure. Boys tend to stick to the path that their heroes have tread, yet this can be dangerous as we don't call them heroes for nothing. I say this because it's easy to get follow the same path as those that we have seen become famous who have the same skills that we do. Find your own path, and find your own success.
3) Resist peer pressure.
Nothing is more powerful than the desire to be liked and loved by one's peers. At the same time, there is nothing more dangerous than seeking acceptance. You will do things just to be part of the group and some of those things will be things you regret. Again, strive to follow your own path. Seek advice from others, sure, and defend those you love, but you need to realize that limiting your actions to following the herd will always be the path to ruin.
4) Be part of something.
As humans we're intrinsically social animals. We're at our most powerful when we act as a group. By being part of a group we make ourselves greater than we are. You gain a lot of strength by being part of something bigger than you are. This is not a contradiction of the last statement; you just need to know when to be part of a group and when to be yourself. You need to realize when something is wrong, when it's going the wrong way, and not be afraid to change that path.
In short, be you. Whatever that is, find it, and embrace it. Follow that to the end just to see where it goes. You only live once, right? Why waste it being someone else?
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