Youth Quest

Career Ache! I have heard of African time, which am told is usually an hour or so after the given time and am also yet to find out if it is African or western or if it is just a general malfunction trying to take root in our society making people either adopt, develop or at worse levels decide to be too careful that careful turns to careless and what would have been wisdom simply turns opposite. I visited a young man in an office and I intended to have a youth quest talk with him. Smartly dressed in a navy blue jacket and tie, he accepted my invitation, took me through a few guidelines and how I only have about 20 minutes before he could move to his next meeting.I introduced what the youth quest is and before I could even get mid-way, he stood up. I stopped, and looked at him rather wondering what I had done wrong and then to my surprise he walked to the window and as if reading from the sky, started speaking.“When I was a child, I loved Music, I dreamt of what a star I would become, I could have travelled miles just to see a local artist perform had my parents allowed me….” he paused and then started again “ In high school, things changed, I settled for my books considering that I had to make sure I passed and got a government scholarship which my parents really wanted me to have so that I become a doctor, I had to honour that. Well, I did get that scholarship alright but I failed to become a doctor. Am now stark in an office, which is actually paying me quite a lot, but had it not been for the fact that I have to find food for my family and pay school fees for my children, I would pack my things and stay at home.” I didn’t know what to write; down what he just said or continue explaining what the Youth Quest is. “Sciences are good and indeed the next generation is in the use of Machines my young friend, but it should not be at the expense of your dream. Today, we have a challenge. We emphasize that our children should do science. Which is a good thing! It means we have seen what is good and we want our children to have just that, but we forget that they too have a destiny which we can’t alter. They have talents and it’s only when they can grow in their talent or passion if you like, that they will be happy. A computer Wizard is as good as the level of passion he has for it, and I wonder if there is anyone who would want to be treated by a doctor who is just doing it for pay.”He walked right back to his desk and looked at me and asked why I wasn’t taking notes. I quickly drew my note book and trying to remember what he was saying I realized he was smiling. So I got a little puzzled but kept scribbling a few outlined points. A secretary walked in and handed him a file and reminded him of his next meeting and then walked out.“Let me tell you this, it is natural for people to want to be needed, to want to have their importance to others tangibly confirmed. And that is what makes the dream of our young people die away, because they want to please someone by doing what that person wants. Our challenge is to build a society in which people feel truly valued and fulfilled throughout the course of their lives which is only possible if we allow them to be who they are and not what we want them to be. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to the long-term flourishing of any society but also consider that those contributions are a simple reflection of who they were doing their youthful lives.”With that, I thanked him for his time. I could not have had any better interview than this one. He however requested his name to be withheld and that I promised. His words of wisdom were enough. princeagmartin@gmail.com