Breaking free!

By Francesco Chatel

Source: New City Philippines (http://www.newcityph.com)

How many rules do parents, teachers and educators invent to prevent kids and teenagers from doing what they want? Everything is organized, decided beforehand, and even if I am already 18, they treat me like a kid. But what do they want from me? Trying to follow the rules, I behave so as not to get into trouble, yet I feel so angry inside and want to shout: I want to break free! An almost 18 year old…

Freedom is very important and it’s right that you should want it. However, we need to understand what true freedom consists of. Your desire comes from the fact that you feel “caged in,” while you feel that you can live independently. This need is quite legitimate, and you must clarify things with your parents, or with your teachers and try to share with them your dreams and desires, and what things are important for you.

Try not to keep everything bottled up so that you won’t get into trouble, but speak up and do it before you begin shouting because you are about to explode. If it is difficult to speak to them face-to-face, maybe you can leave them a note, or a message on the internet, for example. The point is that you should not give up... It will be a big help for them too, because adults must also learn how to become parents and educators, and how to accompany you while allowing you to play an active part in your own journey.

At times it may not work, and you may feel misunderstood. You may want to be on your own, cutting off ties with those who are overly protective and “caging” you in. But true freedom – and this is the challenge, lies in continuing your efforts to communicate, believing that, beyond all the actual results, those who accompany you on your journey want what’s best for you. So believe in yourself and in the others, in the possibility that you can understand each other.

Talk this over with your friends and together with them try not to close yourselves up, but build bridges, and think of creative ways that will make you discover the joy of journeying together with your parents and educators, as well as the true freedom that comes from the fact that every day you decide to reach out towards the others even if they are different from you.