Weakness of Youth

We have all heard the phrase, “The weakness of youth.” I was reflecting upon that concept the other day and came to the conclusion that the only inherent “weakness” teens have is “lack of experience.” The challenge for teens is in their ability or inability to listen and seek advice from one who has experienced a particular situation before.

Now that I’m an adult, I can better comprehend the wise words of Cicero who said, “He who studies only his own generation always stays a child.” I remember as a teen, sitting in a standards night when my Stake President introduced the concept to me of not dating until you are 16 years of age.  This was the first time I had heard such a guideline and remember thinking to myself… “What does he know about dating? Look how old he is!”  I didn’t consider my lack of experience nor did I comprehend or value his years of experience. I have since learned how wise his counsel really was.

A while ago I was with a group of teenagers who were all passing around teen and fashion magazines and talking about who’s who in the movies.  I couldn’t help but wonder whose values these teens were internalizing. I reflected upon the movie stars they were idolizing. In just a short time, these celebrities will no longer be in the limelight nor will the trends and fashions they set.  These movie stars are not like the stars in the sky, which are constants and guide us when we are lost and need direction.  They are more like the supernova, a star that bursts into extreme brilliance only to disappear within a short time from the world’s view. Those who adore and worship these stars will drift in the world until the next trendsetter appears when they will again emulate yet another’s trends and value system. My life’s experience has seen this happen over and over again.

Contrast that experience with the activity our youth had at mutual a while back.  They were asked to read an issue of The New Era and then play a game using the knowledge learned from the magazine.  The concepts and trends they read about from The New Era magazine are constant, enabling those who read and apply to gain their own permanence of light. We should keep our bearings and direction by the stars… but the right ones that are constant and true, not the stars we see on the cover of sports, teen or music magazines. 

As mom’s we can help our teens find their bearings.  We cannot keep our teens locked away.  They must mature while sifting through the myriads of messages and directions they receive from the world. We can provide them a compass of truth within our homes.  To illustrate this, the term I would like to use is “Mormonize your home.” Control your home’s environment with good music, good books, including Church publications, uplifting artwork on your walls (not teen idols), clean atmosphere, kind words of encouragement, laughter, conversation around inspiring and uplifting words from wise leaders, anything that is virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy or of good report… and the list could go on.  All these concepts will help your teen see a contrast in the world of, “Whom should I be like?” “Who should I follow?” 

True stars are steady and constant giving off light that it receives from the sun (Son).  When following the North Star its direction is always sure keeping you on a true path.  This sounds to me like a wise Stake President giving admonition and counsel at a standards night.  The stars we should emulate and follow should be our prophets, general authorities, wise parents, wise leaders and teachers who have had experience to make up for our own lack of it. Yes, people who are older, who have had been where you are today.

Hopefully it will be said about our children…“They are young but study old books,” old books that have experience.