Running After the Superficial Highs

 A Reflection on Footnote to Youth by Jan Emmy Julve

    “He walked faster, prodded by the thought of his virility. A small angled stone bled his foot, but he dismissed it cursorily. He lifted his leg and looked at the hurt toe and then went on walking. In the cool sundown he thought wild dreams of himself and Teang.”

I like to imagine life as a long, winding road, with each person walking at their own pace. Along this road, there are destinations that can only be reached at specific times and distances. These distant places seem enticing, almost magical, and when we hear about them, we feel a rush of excitement and curiosity. We start running towards these destinations, even if it might not be the right time or phase in our lives. During this run, we might stumble, fall, and chase after fleeting highs. But when we finally arrive at these places, they often don't live up to our expectations. That they only seem so captivating from a distance, but can sometimes leave us feeling underwhelmed when we finally experience them. This is how I see marriage and adulthood.

When we think about adulthood, we often imagine freedom-- freedom from the constraints and limitations of teenage life. We envision a time when we can do things without the constant nagging of those around us. We might see adults smoking and think it looks cool, but we're told from a young age that it's bad for our health. So, we tell ourselves, "I'll do that when I'm an adult." But this curiosity and desire for freedom can sometimes lead us to rush into things, running as fast as we can to experience what we've been waiting for. We chase after the smoke, watching it slowly dissipate into the air, wanting to feel the things we've longed for. But often, these experiences leave us disappointed, filled with regret and haunted by thoughts of "I shouldn't have done that."

Footnote to Youth is a remarkable piece of literature that serves as a poignant reminder for young people to cherish every moment of childhood before it slips away from our frail fingers. It urges us to enjoy our youth before we rush into adulthood, chasing after fleeting and superficial highs. The story is rich with metaphors and foreshadowing, such as the scene I added above which inspired this whole reflection, where Dodong runs with Teang in his head, leading to his injury, a symbolic representation of his impulsive decision to marry young.

The author skillfully weaves a narrative that cycles through generations, showing that the mistakes of youth are often repeated by future generations again and again and again. Footnote to Youth serves as a gentle reminder, much like the footnotes in books and movies, advising the youth not to rush too quickly towards the transient pleasures and highs of life.