Well it is just about reaching one year mark since I lost my fifteen-year-old brother. I am back living in Fort McMurray Alberta and back into school (Bachelor of Education Elementary Education). Things are as typical as you might expect for someone coping with the loss of someone very close to them. It’s a coin flip every single day. At one moment, heads the day is normal as usual. The next flip of the coin lands on tails. This is the idea that it is impossible to accept the fate and reality of things. The loss does not even feel like it’s real. It’s a living, waking nightmare, but at some times these raw emotions are exactly what I need to feel to progress into a brighter future. Time and coping will always be difficult when dealing with a loss of life, but it is the people we are surrounded by, and the people that we need to keep close to us because we are not alone and we are never alone. This brings me to the very important discussion about youth and how difficult it may be to deal with so much in life.
Today I want to talk about identity because I think this is the most difficult thing to understand as a youth. You are in a daily life where you are forced to fit in with crowds, sports teams, academic levels or groups. You are faced with bullies, peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, and it becomes very quick, and apparent that you may be getting into something not because you want to, but because you are subjected to it, pressured into it simply to fit in with someone else’s idea of a “cool or hip” identity. It’s hard to think things can be wrong when you’re surrounded by people who do these things, who use drugs, or dictate that you’re not “fitting-in” simply because you’re wearing something that nobody else is.
You do not have to utilize drugs or alcohol to “fit-in” or deal with stress. I can assure you that in years to come that no amount, no substance, no chemical or haircut, or clothing brand will change who you really are nor will it make it any easier. In fact utilizing drugs and alcohol to cope is unhealthy and will create more problems then it will cure. This is one element that can also be associated with “fitting-in”
So what am I talking about? I’m trying to speak to you as a person. You are unique, you are cool, funny, smart, nerdy, sporty, pretty, and beautiful in every aspect. These unique things that people may make fun of you for are not something to be ashamed of. I can assure you this is what makes you unique and there is nothing greater than being yourself. I grew up and even to this day I have these quirks about me that others may poke at (It’s far less, grade school can be a bit more relentless) but I don’t lose sight of those qualities. I embrace them and this is the most difficult thing to do. To accept something that others view as negative, but think for a brief moment, if we were to change things because someone simply didn’t like them then what about the world? What about religion? Race? Would people extinguish these things? No because it absurd. These are all elements that surround a person that makes you….simply you.
If anything is to come about my writing and future video logs then it is that I want you…the youth to continue being you. You are great and life is long and negative people will continue to dwell in negativity. Negativity is like a virus. The host is infected with negativity and when you’re surrounded by that it seeps into you or other people. Negative people typically either hang out with other negative people or try to bring down those who are happy and how do they do that? Pushing their agendas and beliefs onto you as if they were true. They are not! The moment someone says that you’re not cool because you are not wearing this, or doing that then that is the moment where someone is trying to impact you in a negative way with no purpose other than to lash out on you because they are angry, upset or confused about something. I know it is incredibly difficult to ignore during these young, tender ages, but this will pass just as mostly anything in life. Take time in your hands and eventually you’ll come to see a light at the end of school to notice that this was all just a phase, a challenge even. I want you to succeed in this challenge and god knows that trying to be yourself in modern day is far from easy, but I assure you all youth, teens and children of today that you can do this.
If any youth, child or teen need anyone to talk to I will make sure that I can try to talk to you and help you. I truly just wish the best for the youth in this ever-challenging society and perhaps hopefully one day we can eradicate bullying, and negativity to share a positive, and prosperous future for the bright minds such as yourself who will pave the way for an even brighter future.
With warm regards
George J. Pink.
