To the youth

Author: Liang Xiaosheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Youth is fleeting. When we dissect any man or woman, we are particularly struck by the brevity of youth. Only when young people consciously realize they are young will they more devoutly believe that what is called fate can indeed be changed. Only when young people consciously realize they are young will no misfortune be able to defeat them. Because youth itself is another form of "strength." Young people have every reason not to fear what older people fear; they also have every reason not to fear what middle-aged people fear—even though older people have more experience than young people, and middle-aged people have more ability than young people—yet young people, more than middle-aged people, have abundant energy; more than older people, they have the cost of age. These two are invaluable treasures of life.
Preface No matter what, never forget that you are young—this is the message of this book, edited by two young people. The parents of one of them are my close friends, both working in publishing. The title of this book was also insisted upon by the two young editors. The idea of editing this book was their sincere aspiration. Counting the years, it has been three or four years since then. The young people who hold fast to the idea of editing a book and refuse to give up easily always move me. Sometimes, they even earn my respect. That is why I ultimately agreed to publish this book—it was truly driven by a sense of admiration and respect.
To this day, I have lost track of how many prefaces I have written for young strangers. I believe they asked me to write them because they held me in esteem. I also believe that the two young editors publishing a book of mine is also out of respect for me. Yet, when faced with the list of essays, I couldn’t help but ask myself: Is there really so little? Over the past two decades, why haven’t I written more for young people?
On this occasion, I want to say—Youth, no matter what, never forget that you are young. Youth, you must consciously realize that you are young! What does this mean? It means—Only when young people consciously realize they are young will they more devoutly believe that what is called fate can indeed be changed. Only when young people consciously realize they are young will no misfortune be able to strike them down! Because youth itself is another form of "strength." And this other form of "strength" is the foundation of sustainable hope, enough to change many things—including what is called fate!
Youth, you have every reason not to fear what older people fear, and you also have every reason not to fear what middle-aged people fear, even though older people have more experience than you and middle-aged people have more ability than you—yet you, more than middle-aged people, have abundant energy; more than older people, you have the cost of age. These two are invaluable treasures of life. If you add to them the conscious awareness of being young, then fate will ultimately be within your own control.
Youth is fleeting. When we "deconstruct" the life of any man or woman, we are particularly struck by the brevity of youth. From one to six years old, humans babble and stumble, in the childlike stage like kittens and puppies. Beyond basic dietary needs, there is another need—love, and more of it is always better. Children at this stage do not yet fully understand how to love others. No matter how strong their "love" for others, including their parents, it is merely instinctive attachment, and the love they need is only care and protection. Every stage of life has an almost natural poetic quality. The poetic quality of childhood is the simplicity of human nature.
The scene of a child sleeping in his or her mother’s arms is particularly beautiful and moving; the smile on his or her face when carried on a father’s shoulders is the most radiant smile of humanity. A child’s first attachment is not to parents but to parental love. If a child loses both parents and there is another woman who can truly love the child as a mother, the child will soon sleep soundly in her arms, as securely as in a safe cradle. If there is a man who can truly love the child as a father and also enjoys carrying him or her on his shoulders, the child’s face will also bloom with the same joyful smile.
Children perceive the extent of love others have for them through instinct. Almost entirely instinctive, without any rational judgment. But a child’s instinct is often extremely subtle. Some children are very skilled at discerning the truth of love from an adult’s expression, from an adult’s eyes. This is also almost instinctive, not something learned through experience.