The rebellion in young people is the fire of the soul that refuses to conform, that is dissatisfied with the status quo, that cries out that it wants to change the world and is frustrated with not knowing how.
What most young people are searching for is a meaningful cause.They are overflowing with a mixture of adrenaline and confidence — “I can change the way the world works.” Adults, burdened with the pressures of everyday life, convince themselves that the world just is the way it is.
Many adults simply write off the teenage years as a rebellious period that a person must simply outlast. Young people, meanwhile, often think that adults have forgotten how to appreciate the very meaning and thrill of life. Youths are rebellious, and adults see the rebellion as one step shy of a crime.
But rebellion is not the crime; the crime occurs when the rebellion has no healthy outlet. Rebellion, in fact, can be the healthiest thing for a human being — a pure energy that inspires a person to not give up easily, to refuse to tolerate injustice, to not go along with an idea just because everyone else is thinking it. We must do everything we can to tap this energy, to focus it, and channel it properly.
Thank you Rabbi Simon Jacobson.. you’re not only learned but wise too! There is a gentle spark in you and you ignite your listeners with nuggets of wisdom!