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The fire inside
A May Day recognition and rekindling:we can stand up for ourselves!
Recently I have found myself switching the news off, which is a new frontier in my life. It is perhaps even a new level of maturity that I have reached, as I make my own decisions on the information I take in every day.
Adults are the ones who usually complain about “bad news”, new governmental decisions or the absentminded youth of today. It hadn’t dawned on me that my “moaning levels” were increasing, until after I had complained at length to a friend of mine, about the faults of Ireland’s young people, over a cup of coffee. We laughed hard afterwards, thankfully, showing we had some teenage spirit left in us.
I know that giving out isn’t the only things that adults do, but recently it seems to be that way. Recession this, cut backs that. College fees this, unemployment that. It seems as if these crippling and depressing words have been used to death, and now they are beginning to lose almost all meaning. Or perhaps it’s just that people have put some sort of mental block on these words in a final attempt to save their sanity.
The Irish are known worldwide for their courage in harsh times, and their tenacity to face woes head on. However, within the country, we all know that the majority of people suffer from ‘the auld one’ disorder, i.e. we enjoy a rant for an average 15 minutes a day. It really is quintessentially Oirish to have a moan!
Another ailment plaguing this country is PCTS (Post Celtic Tiger Syndrome). As a whole, we are being dragged kicking and screaming into the reality of a recession. But of course, we can’t blame ourselves, can we? No! Maybe we’ll just moan a bit more until it sorts itself out.
“Hey, I even heard Obama saying it will be better before the end of the year. But do you know what, it’s the young people I’m a bit worried for.”
No, the young generation haven’t gone through a dark era of economic turmoil, we’ve had it easy! However, who is to say that not having gone through a recession before means that we are the ones who are going to be worst affected, and find it the most difficult?
The young people of Ireland can stand up for ourselves, the young people of Ireland have a meaningful voice, the young people of Ireland have strong opinions, and the young people of Ireland have a unique audacity unrecognisable to blind sighted adults. This country’s young generation are probably the only ones to benefit in some shape or form from this situation. There is a vast amount of teaching to be absorbed in these lands.
The most probable origin of the word ‘Bealtaine’, the Celtic beginning of Summer, is bright fire. We, the Irish youth, need to reignite the recently extinguished flames inside of us. I think now, more so than ever, we the young people of this country should live up to our international expectations, and be the courageous and spirited breed that we truly are.
Bealtaine is the time when we can take our stance, and let everyone know what we are made of. We can show off the fighting heart inside of us that burns strongly. We should now look for the positives in this society, and be the generation that lives up to our title.
“By three methods may we learn wisdom: First by reflection, which is noblest; Second by imitation, which is easiest; and Third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius
By: Andrew Smith
