To make the goal an ideal

(Baonghean) - When I was a child, every summer vacation, on Monday and Thursday evenings, while I was sitting eating rice from my "car-shaped" bowl and watching cartoons, the neighbors' kids would inevitably bang on my door and yell loudly:

- Are you finished eating? Hurry up so we can get back to work!

Going to summer camp sounds very prestigious, but in reality, the community center was just a tiny, flat-roofed building. We'd take off our sandals, sit on the ground in the courtyard, and hold our breath as the youth union secretary explained the camp's agenda. It was hot in the summer, and the mosquitoes were biting us like crazy, but none of us dared to swat them for fear of causing a disturbance. At the end of the summer, with our activity forms stamped with a bright red seal, everyone's faces were held high...

In college, during summer breaks, we volunteered. Wearing our green shirts, we stood at intersections, directing students from other areas to the university entrance exams. Or sometimes we'd go to a rural area, wading through rice paddies, building embankments, climbing onto rooftops to repair houses... getting dirty and grimy, but always laughing and joking. Each "green summer" brought so much sweat and effort, but also so much joy and so many new friends, leaving us with fond memories of our green shirts...

Later, when I had the opportunity to study abroad, a foreign friend asked me, "In your country, from childhood to adulthood, there are always clubs and organizations that bring together young people?" I nodded, and my friend, surprised, asked, "What's the purpose of that?" I was also puzzled; what would young people be gathered for?

For teenagers, joining teams and groups provides them with opportunities to meet and interact with peers in a healthy environment. At this age, they are easily influenced by both positive and negative external factors. Therefore, it is necessary to proactively expose them to positive activities and elements that stimulate physical and intellectual development and nurture their character and spirit.

As we enter adolescence, our personalities and ways of thinking gradually develop. This is the time when each individual stands at the threshold of life. What do we live for? For what purpose? How do we achieve those goals? This is when we define our ideals in life – the dreams that will guide us on our long journey ahead. Unlike teenagers, the ideals and beliefs of young adults are clearly differentiated by factors such as place of residence, gender, occupation, and beliefs. Young people in school want to study and receive career guidance. Urban youth want stable employment and income, keeping up with the times. Rural youth want to improve their skills, access science and technology, and access capital. Religious and ethnic youth, on the other hand, aspire to socialize, integrate, and practice their faith legally...

Because of differentiation and diversification, unity is necessary, as youth are the main human resource driving society forward. Leaving a segment of young people on the margins of society is not only wasteful but also a threat to the healthy development of society. The youthful energy and capabilities of young people, if not guided and used for good purposes, can be disastrous! But how can we bring together young people with different ideals into a single force?

We must start with the life ideals of each youth group. We need to understand what they need, want, and aspire to, and guide them on the right path to achieve those goals. For unemployed youth in rural and mountainous areas, we can focus on training them and organizing vocational cooperatives to help them enrich themselves and their communities. For urban youth who want to keep up with the times, we can organize foreign language and computer clubs. For religious and ethnic youth who want to integrate and interact, we can organize charitable activities and community service...

The pursuit of personal happiness is a natural instinct and a legitimate need for every individual. However, humans also possess a strong sense of community, always oriented towards the community and seeking within it a secure place for themselves. To survive in a community, there is no other way than to link individual interests with collective interests. This is when individual needs and goals grow into life ideals. Gathering young people means showing them what their life ideals are and how to strive towards those noble ideals.

Thuc Anh