“NEVER CHOOSE YOUR ROLE MODELS
AND HEROES LIGHTLY!”
“Where there is no vision, the people perish”
The month of June has arrived, the beginning of another summer, and also the end of another school year in the United States when thousands of our young people graduate from elementary, high school or university. Many families have children, nephews and nieces graduating, and the graduation parties that follow are a good reason to get together and celebrate. Although education is becoming a very expensive commodity, but then, try ignorance! The lack of good and solid education will be ultimately more “expensive” and probably more disastrous to any young person’s future.
It’s been half a century since my own high school batch graduated from the only Catholic high school, Holy Rosary Academy, run by the Franciscan sisters, then (now a Dominican college, affiliated with UST and Letran University) of our town of Manaoag, Pangasinan, Philippines. The last 50 years, I have witnessed the evolution of the education system both in the Philippines and in the USA and in many respects the quality of education has deteriorated. I know I am not alone in this conclusion as I shared my observations with many friends and contemporaries, especially if we were to compare the present crop of our graduates with their counterparts in Japan, Singapore or Taiwan.
In our Rotary travels to these countries, we have observed that their school system takes their children’s education more seriously than we do in the USA or in the Philippines. Their schools expect and demand more focus and rigid discipline in subjects that matter most: reading, writing, math, engineering and sciences. In Japan, school children spend much more time in schools studying than playing sports or engaging in extra-curricular activities. To our surprise, the students even in elementary grades were even assigned to help clean their classrooms on a rotation basis, hence there were less janitors or custodians hired to maintain them!
* * *
My baby boomers generation (born between 1946 and 1964) seems oceans apart from the current millennial generation in so many respects. Our generation became the beneficiaries of our parents’ generation who worked very hard and practiced in ‘Saving for the Rainy Days” philosophy and generally speaking my generation sacrificed or struggled less to obtain our education that our parent’s generation. By extension, our children’s generation has become the YOLO (You Only Live Once) generation. I shudder to think what will their own children become if this trend continues. Twenty five years from now, there will be another billion or more people inhabiting this planet, resulting to keener competition for fewer opportunities and consuming declining resources that are being produced. Will the Malthusian theory on population that opines that the exponential increase in population (while food production increases only arithmetically) can only be checked by war and famine visit future generations?
NOW, let me go back to the heart of my intended topic, MY CHALLENGE TO THE YOUTH, ESPECIALLYTHE NEW GRADUATES, as they prepare to enter into the real world to earn a living and then sooner or later, to start their own families too.
I had my fair share listening to many commencement speakers from politicians, community leaders, church leaders, authors and intellectuals to business giants. I also had been invited to speak before a few commencement exercises in the past two decades in California and in the Philippines.
If I have my wish, commencement speakers should be delivered by people of substance in the likes of heroes and real achievers who have impacted the world, like Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, and not just elected politicians, government bureaucrats or pseudo intellectuals.
I read that many commencement speakers left almost nothing to remember after they have delivered their “commencement” advice, a few years or even a weeks after they are delivered. The few times I had the honor of being invited as a commencement speaker, I still vividly remember my theme: “NEVER CHOOSE YOUR ROLE MODELS AND HEROES LIGHTLY” to the graduates not only in their chosen careers but also throughout their life’s journey.
Allow me to elaborate.
Our choice of heroes and role models can leave indelible marks in our lives. We become what we want to become largely because of the people and ideals we pattern our lives after. Even the Good Book says: “Where your treasure is, is where your heart be!” It’s been proven that there are primarily only two factors that can mold our lives: the people that we associate with constantly and the kinds of books we continue to read even after school. They are the water and fertilizer that contribute greatly to our growth as human beings.
I was a teenager in 1961 when a young charismatic leader, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was inaugurated asthe 35th U.S. president. As a visionary leader, JFK established the Peace Corps and started the exploration of thespace that eventually landed a man on the moon. His immortal admonition to his countrymen “Ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country” still reverberates to this day, and I believe, that that advice is more needed today to reverse more and more takers than givers especially in the government social programs (aka dole-outs) the last several decades!
These days, critical thinking and high, lofty goals among the YOLO
generation have dramatically declined. Recent statistics about the aspirations of
many students are disheartening when you analyze and ponder that a majority of
university students would love to work for the government as “civil servants” rather
than in business or entrepreneurship, or in research and development
laboratories. In the Philippines, even the Cardinal Luis G. “ Chito”Tagle of the
Archdiocese of Manila narrated his dismay in his book ‘Easter People: Living Community’ . Quote: “ I was talking with a young woman who had just graduated from college. I asked her, “What is your dream in life?” “Father, my dream is I want to have the best cell phone available!” You call that a dream? If that is a dream, you will not have energy, for that the type of dream that will stir in us the flames of energy!” HOW SAD!
Many young Filipino students’ role models and heroes have become a
laughing matter as they wanted to be like their aunts, sister or cousins who are
domestic helpers or nannies or caregivers in Italy or Hong Kong or caretakers in the
USA or Canada. Some of their role “models”who have made to Congress are
college dropouts, basketball players, comedians and actors! Dollars and consumer
products have become the number one magnets that influence their career paths
To all students and graduates everywhere, my challenge and admonition to you and your generation: “Aim high and pursue lofty goals even when they seem impossible to reach. Do not equate success with just money as the sole criterion. Many people have rich bank account, but do not live a rich life. Never be contented of the status quo and just become lackadaisical consumers of what others have produced. As you continue your life journey, there will be many forks in the road, some roads are already paved where you probably do not have to exert much effort to move forward, but that road may not lead you anywhere that is challenging, meaningful and rewarding. Go where the road has not been cleared, instead make a trail for others to follow. Your library is filled with thousands of stories or biographies of great men adwomen who have done exactly that Let their life stories inspire and give you a true north compass to guide you. Never, never CHOOSE YOUR HEROES OR ROLE MODELS LIGHTLY!” Find one who is worth following so that 50 years from now, you will never regret and say “My life had no meaning, after realizing that you were just existing and not living your full potential and have not contributed much to improve the quality of life for the next generation on this Planet Earth! My hope and prayer is that you will also leave this world a better place than how you found it!”
Good luck and May the Omnipotent Lord guide you in your journey and may your life be filled with purpose and meaning!
The Metamorphosis’ Empowering Thoughts for today:
THE SEVEN SINS IN THE WORLD
According to Mahatma Gandhi
1. Wealth without work.
2. Pleasure without conscience.
3. Knowledge without character.
4. Commerce without morality.
5. Science without humanity.
6. Worship without sacrifice
7. Politics without principles
Email writer at: ernie.delfin@gmail.com
Visit: www. rotaryeclubGlobalKalingaD3780.
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