When we were naive, starry-eyed dreamers in high school, we couldn’t be defeated or deflated! Across the world, young and immature adults live their lives comparing and competing with others. They constantly strive to beat the next person, to win against them, to be better, to have as much money or property, to look as good or better, and so on.

When we were young, we believed in all sorts of people and things, myths and fables! We were easily swayed by ultra-religiosity and ideological fancies. In our own minds and world, we considered ourselves “revolutionaries”. Being young is great, but being realistic is significant!

When we were young, there were people who were considered good-looking/beautiful, celebrity DJs, sports persons, actors, scholars, and model leaders in junior and secondary school. These individuals became well-known, perhaps even famous, in the area. Some came from prominent or supposedly wealthy families. They were our leaders in mischief and drove or were driven in fancy cars. However, without understanding mathematics or excelling in sciences, they assumed their parents were rich because they owned things. These young ones lived extravagantly, spending their parents’ wealth with abandon. We also had evangelists, prophets, pastors, muftis, and imams. Each area of endeavor had plenty of wannabes.

Then there were petty thugs, pimps, small-time drug peddlers, notorious paupers who wasted their parents’ hard-earned school fees trying to be gangsters or high school idols in hip-hop or R&B. There were also players and girls who discovered their sexuality and sensuality during puberty or adolescence. Junior and high school cultures have progressively become hyper-sexualized, criminal, rough, and rowdy over the last 35 years or so. But I digress. Petty thugs helped the spoiled rich boys and girls infiltrate the ghetto with fake Euro-American accents and a desire for a wealthy lifestyle. Both groups educated each other in drug abuse and debauchery. They partied as if they were in movies, living as if they had endless lives and boundless wealth. These friendships were unproductive. People hung out, drinking, smoking, and engaging in all sorts of activities while talking about big dreams that never materialized… a make-believe fantasy world. It’s a pity if you are married to, friends with, or siblings of someone from this group.

Poor ghetto guys believed they would become rich by associating with spoiled rich brats, and the spoiled rich brats believed they would become streetwise by associating with ghetto kings and queens. Kids make up reality as they go along. However, parents also overcompensate and create fantasies about their children. Who doesn’t want their children to be successful, beautiful, rich, famous, and intelligent? The ridiculous things parents are willing to ignore or overlook in order to live in their fantasy world. Oh, Mama, Papa, see your daughter or son for who they really are, not what you fantasize them to be!

Rich girls ended up with broke ghetto players, and rich boys became addicted to well-raised, hard-working ghetto sisters and gold diggers. After all, the social ladder is for climbing, and descending, isn’t it? Everyone wanted something different from what they were accustomed to. Different neighborhoods, different schools, different social classes. The ghetto had soul, while the suburbs had quiet moments and spaces.

Fast forward to now, those from the ghetto have ended up in the suburbs while the rich still search for soul in the ghetto. Ironically, the ghetto now monopolizes the suburbs with its vibes, habits, cuisine, and clear sounds. The accents in the ghetto are more middle class and foreign than those in the suburbs. Is it due to TV, social media, or films?

I remember when we were young, we had crushes on people we rarely glance at now. Those we considered geniuses have average intelligence and moderate accomplishments. Our high school sports and social icons are, frankly, nobody. The so-called “A-Listers” don’t even make the list. When we were young, we never thought we would change or that life would change. We felt fresh (or thought we did), we were strong, full of hope, energy, and dreams.

When we were young, we didn’t understand why our parents demanded that we optimize our time, work hard, and avoid corrupting friendships. We didn’t understand why we needed to wait to indulge in certain things, activities, and fantasies. We didn’t understand how each action we took or failed to take would shape our present loves. We didn’t accept that all choices have consequences! Yes, when we were young, we loved material things, admired temporary stuff, consumed everything we earned, and wanted instant gratification.

But my friend, life isn’t short at all if you make bad choices in your youth and live with the consequences in adulthood! When we were young, we believed we would be forever young. Here we are, neither young nor old enough. But now we know better!