Unanswered Questions about Street Teenagers

I am one of those who believe that being in unlucky situation, such as suffering from poverty, bad breaks, starving, being hurt, etc., is a starting line to run or walk through the path of life in order to reach the finish line. The path where one must pass through to get to the finish line is full of hope. We can pass through the path any way we like, we can either walk or run, in any speed we set, in a moody or stable way, in a consistent or inconsistent way. It is the process to get away from that unlucky situation and to get forward to reach the finish line, where things are hopefully better; a place where one can start smiling after leaving all the unlucky situation far behind. Although one’s path may not be the same as others’ as there are many directions to choose, but all will end up at a finish line. Everyone has a chance to achieve a better ending line, at least there is always a way. The point is we must finish what we start.

This morning I somewhat doubted the above testimony I had always believed when I saw street teenagers who were supposed to be in school hanging around the street. Some of them imitate the latest popular teenage style like setting and coloring their hair as Mohawk, and wearing harajuku style outfit. Others like breathing up smell of a glue just like tranquilizer which, according to them, can make them feel relaxed and not hungry. Their actions sometime make me looking at them with suspicion and fear that I would simply like to see them disappear. I don’t know whether they are really street teenagers as referring them to teenagers for whom the street has become their real home, or could it simply because they are really homeless or without families, or they might have come from families who live in a situation where there is no protection, no supervision, nor direction from responsible adults, or they are just being neglected by their parents. Surprisingly, the fact is, not all the street teenagers come from the poor. There must be reasons why they choose to live as street teenagers. I wondered what these teenagers will turn out to be in the future.

I started to blame them for not being on the right path, at least, why they are not going to school. I blamed them as lazy teenagers who prefer hanging on the street rather than going to school or doing something worthy. I blamed their parents for having no control nor care about where their children are supposed to be during school time. Because it is normal that teenagers have a natural burning desire to learn, to be recognized as somebody and to excel; and parents are needed and are the most responsible persons to put their children on the right track. The existence of the path is not enough. It’s not simply a matter of passing through the path, but there is motivation that plays an important role in choosing the path, its direction and the goal or the finish line. These teenagers must have a dream that motivate them, but they need parents to help them going on the right path and choosing the right direction to go. If only their parents play their role, hopefully tomorrow I will not see them hanging on the street any longer.

Within seconds questions popped in my mind: What if there are reasons their parents do not care about them? What if some of these teenagers have no parents to live with? What if there is no one to take a parent’s role, at least to help them getting on the right path? Is this a kind of destiny? The questions broadened into more complicated ones, and remained unanswered. I know for sure that tomorrow I will find the same view, unless they are restrained by police which of course will not solve the problem of how to get these abandoned teenagers on the right path to reach their finish lines.