To the young and old

The first-ever poem in Spanish written by a Filipino and "credited by Spanish authority" was penned by Jose Rizal, who was then a student at the University of Santo Tomas.

"A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)" urges the younger generation to "use the talents, abilities, and skills that they possess for the success not only of their own but of the nation (Lopez, n.). By that, to hone and utilize such talents, abilities, and skills, one should fill his or her mind with high ideals and thoughts," according to the online study platform StuDocu.

Back in 1879 when the poem was first released, the youth was not as outspoken as today's generation. As they say nowadays, the youth today are "woke."

During his time, Jose Rizal, an advocate for the youth, used his literary talent to wake up the minds of the "hope of our nation."

A La Juventud Filipina has been translated into English and Tagalog. The words, so long ago, resonate still today, 30 December 2022 — the anniversary of Rizal's martyrdom in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park), Manila.

The first three stanzas, in Filipino:
"Itaas ang iyong noong aliwalas,
Mutyang Kabataan, sa iyong paglakad;
Ang bigay ng Diyos sa tanging liwanag
Ay pagitawin mo, Pag-asa ng Bukas.
"Ikaw ay bumaba, O katalinuhan,
Mga puso namin ay nangaghihintay;
Magsahangin ka nga't ang aming isipa'y
Ilipad mo roon sa kaitaasan.
"Taglayin mo lahat ang kagiliw-giliw
Na ang silahis ng dunong at sining;
Kilos, Kabataan, at iyong lagutin,
Ang gapos ng iyong diwa at damdamin."

In English:
"Hold high the brow serene,
O youth, where now you stand;
Let the bright sheen
Of your grace be seen,
Fair hope of my fatherland!
"Come now, thou genius grand,
And bring down inspiration;
With thy mighty hand,
Swifter than the wind's violation,
Raise the eager mind to a higher station.
"Come down with pleasing light
Of art and science to the fight,
O youth, and there untie
The chains that heavy lie,
Your spirit free to blight."

Dr. Rizal's beautiful prose sparked a sense of nationalism in Filipinos then — and this legacy, strange (or sad) it may seem, matters even more today.

In 2022, we see a young generation that grew up in a pandemic, joining our workforce and invoking their own truths in a world much changed.

To them — who make up "one-quarter of the world's population — that's about 2 billion — and an even greater percentage (40 percent) of the Philippines' population at 40 million, according to a study" cited in the Adobo Magazine website, the things that mattered most to previous generations are no longer as relevant.

An interesting point in an Elle magazine article puts forth one difference about today's young generation: "The idea that there will always be time for pleasure later in life does not apply to a generation that has lived through a pandemic and one that doesn't believe a climate catastrophe is too far into the future."

Perhaps this is another message that everyone, young and old, should reflect on as we gear up for 2023.