Footnote to the Youth

by: Jose Garcia Villa

Dodong wanted to marry Teang and asked his father's permission. Thinking that since they are young, their love would be short, he allowed them to get married. After nine months, Teang gave birth to a child named Blas. For six consecutive years, a new child came along. Teang did not complain even though she secretly regretted being married at an early age. Sometimes she even wondered if she would have the same life if Lucio, her other suitor who was nine years older than Dodong, was the one she married. Lucio has had no children since the time he married. When Teang and Dodong were twenty they looked like they were fifty. When Blas was 18, he told his father that he would marry Tona. Dodong did not object, but tried to make Blas think twice before rushing to marriage - because Dodong doesn't want Blas to end up like him. It simply tells the story of an older person who made a mistake in the past who ended up with a not so pleasurable life. Then he had a son who is like him when he was young. His son is hasty in making the decision to get married, just like he was when he was 17. Despite this, Dodong did not - and could not - stop Blas from marrying Tona. Therefore, he didn't object. Instead, he just reminded him that Blas is still very young and might as well think twice before rushing to marriage.

Reaction

            I wasn't that surprised when I read this story. Why? It is because on our generation today, a lot of teenagers had done this. A lot get married at a young age. A lot got pregnant at a very young age. Teenagers always rushed into things they want. They thought, well, we thought that we’re old enough for these kinds of things. We thought that we are responsible enough. This is the reason why sometimes, we always have regrets in life. I hope that this story will serve as a lesson to everyone. This is not just a simple fiction story. This story happens to the youth. And we know that.