Our Noble Youth

This article is an excerpt from DAAJI’s upcoming book, The Wisdom Bridge: Nine Principles to Live a Life that Echoes in the Heart of Your Loved Ones. It is being published by Penguin India, and will be released later this month.

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If we plant a seed, it cannot jump thirty years and become a fruit-yielding tree. It must go through the stages one by one to reach maturity, and that is the process of growth. So, it’s inevitable that a tree’s life begins with a seed, then a sapling, then a young tree, then a mature fruit-bearing tree.

In our life, youth is the journey toward maturity. It is a time of great promise and potential. When I spend time with young people, it gives me a window into their buoyant hearts. When I hear their problems, which some time ago were my problems too, it deepens our kinship. When I listen to their ideas, I feel energized. When I see them drowned in meditation, I witness a new humanity awakening. These young adults are the change agents in our world.

As parents, elders, and teachers, it’s our duty to prepare children for young adulthood by laying strong moral and emotional foundations. From an early age, if we introduce good habits, then when they grow up they will have a well-tuned inner GPS guiding them. Throughout history, whenever young people were supported by the wisdom of elders, they went on to change the world in amazing ways.

But supporting them is not an easy task. Their age is a heady mix of promise, inquisitiveness, defiance, and energy. Saying “This is how we do it” won’t work, because they push back on authority. Talking down to them or pandering to them doesn’t work. We have to meet as equals. Of course, it takes patience, empathy, authenticity, and a good bit of humor to connect.