GELOURWEL TOCMO

Jose Rizal's youth may be defined by his drive to study, even visiting a church
near his house to watch and observe people but not being spiritually inclined. Jose Rizal
was neither physically gifted nor physically powerful. He did, however, have a strong will
that was directed and taught to him by his mother, his first instructor. He learnt nearly
entirely without the use of books. His mother was the one who lay the groundwork for
his incredible knowledge in such a short period of time. His intelligence was also
reflected in the character of young Jose Rizal. Jose Rizal began to write letters when he
was three years old, after his elder sister insisted on teaching him to read and impart
the things she had acquired. Rizal even attempted to spell out the words in his sister's
story book using a syllabary in the manner of utilizing a dictionary in a foreign language.
He also spent a lot of time at a neighboring church, just watching or studying the people
coming in and out. Even as a youngster, Rizal understood the importance of respecting
others' rights and asked his elders to reason with him rather than punish him for minor
infractions. Even at such a young age, he became a pleasant companion for grownups
since he respected their moods and was never an impediment to their activities.
Comparing Rizal to our youth today, even with the youth by my time, I can say
that there is a wide gap, physically, mentally, spiritually, and in attitude. The youth today
are not prone to housework and adventure, instead, they are more on technology and
devices. While Rizal was very eager to learn everything around him, our youth today are
so much excited to see the latest online games and such. While Rizal was busy
improving himself in every aspect, well, our youth today are busy developing
themselves in the areas they excel most. Our youth today are also doing their best in
things they are comfortable with, and are not trying their best to please others in the
pursuit of chasing their dreams.