This I Believe

What I believe in? I'm 16. 10th Graders don't believe in anything. We're teenagers. There isn't a profound bone in any of my peer's bodies. Generally, we'll believe what you tell us to until it starts to actually affect us. Most of the kids in Catechism class are Agnostic and the same kids who wear peace signs, draw hearts and smiley faces all over their folders still bring weapons and start fights in my school. How can you ask us our beliefs when most of us can't even think for ourselves, let alone believe in what we can't see? Faith. That is what you must learn at my age.
What do I believe? This question struck me long before this assignment was issued, when all of us are going into that Becoming of Age time. When we eagerly leave Childhood but trudge wearily into Adulthood. And the question "What do you believe?" smacks us in the face like a wall. We become aware of our surroundings like a sleep walker suddenly gaining consciousness or, more accurately, a drunk sobering up. Who are you, what do you believe?
The better of my friends are people who have gone through what I have listed. I believe that the stage of Adolescence is only successfully achieved when you rethink what you have been told and your beliefs, when questioned or challenged, must rise and bubble to the surface despite oppression. It isn't necessarily rebellion for rebellions sake; it is having the courage to rebel when needed for the sake of yourself and others. Oh, but Tolerance: another value and virtue learned in these growing years. When asked what I, what my friends, what my age group living now believes, I answer: Rebellion and Tolerance. Is this an oxymoron? That's fine; the world is built on contradictions. Yes, contradictions as well as good faith. Isn't every man, great or indifferent, a walking hypocrite?

I believe in the power in me, in the power of others my age. The world hasn't beaten us just yet. We still believe in winning against the odds. I still believe we can fight the prejudices of tomorrow, and that the politically incorrect truths in the world can be brought out like so many linked skeletons in a closet. I believe the world is an ugly place, yet I drink up its colors and art and hidden beauty with much eagerness, always hungry for more. I believe in my youth even though I criticize them so because I critique for the reason that I always expect more out of the next generation and my friends and of myself. This is something I rebel for, show tolerance because of, and have faith in.
My fellow youth will prevail in linked arms with and at the same time in despite of, the world. And I also will prevail. This summarizes what us youth believe, teacher and reader.
This I Believe.

...Well, hope ya liked!
~eMiLy