Treasure your youth
My darling daughter
A few days ago, I overheard the conversation of some teenagers. They
were planning to go to some hotel for a teen dance and the greatest joy
seemed to be that there would be no adult supervision. I was amazed that
parents would consider sending young girls to a hotel dance without an
adult to keep an eye.
In the days when I was young, it was unheard of even going to a friend's
party without some adult chaperoning one. Today that is outmoded, but when
you were young, innumerable were your complaints that I would drop you
for a party and collect you at a reasonable time. Then you did not understand
the fears in us, not because we did not trust you to behave, but that you
were so young and it is easy then to believe in the 'magic of love' amidst
dim light. We knew others, more worldly than you could tempt you. For,
after all, the teens are the most vulnerable, the time when your body responds
to impulses you cannot really understand!
Aunty Margie was aghast when she heard that at a party her young
son went for, older boys were trying to pressurize others to experiment
with drugs. 'Where were the parents?" I asked, "because in my
time parents hovered around to see that there were no sudden disappearances
to 'nooks and corners'! "Apparently," said Aunty Margie, "the
parents had left the boy and gone for a party of their own."
I felt sad, daughter, that parents were so unconcerned and assumed
that a teenager has adult understanding of behaviour when in fact sometimes
seeing adults behave I wonder whether they have any norms of moral values
themselves. No wonder so many teenagers drift searching for pleasure of
fun.
A few days ago, a friend of mine was relating how the 15-year-old
daughter of a relative has gone for one of these dances in hotels. The
girl looks older apparently and naturally she would have wanted to appear
more sophisticated.
At the dance, a young man found her attractive and willing. Unfortunately
the girl did not understand that even one night of love can leave behind
another life and today there is a fifteen-year-old pregnant girl. Terrified
and lonely, parents ashamed and outraged and a young man who cannot be
even located. And I think if only the parents had been able to say "no"
the situation may not have arisen.
We adults should not burden our teenagers by exposing them to unnecessary
temptations. Would you agree with me, daughter? You who would argue those
many years ago saying that I did not trust you, but yet later you understood
it was not that I did not trust you but I wanted to protect you from temptations
you were not yet equipped to handle. For you were just a little teenager,
my precious daughter.
Ammi.
FASHION
Against the picturesque backdrop of the Culture Club hotel
in Kandalama, our exotic model Dechen displayed creations by Sonali White
for the 'Haddai' label. Dechen's hair and make-up were by Cheryl and Ruwani
from Ramani Fernando Salons and she was
photographed by Mettasena
Skin care products
Many people talk of the skin having an acid pH.
The basis for concern about pH followed the discovery that the skin
usually has a slightly acid pH. Fortunately, the skin's buffering capabilities
are so great that it can adjust to the variations in the many outside forces
that can influence the acidity or alkalinity of the skin surface. It's
extraordinary that the skin, with its exposure to almost unlimited external
forces, can efficiently adjust its pH to the normal range.
The acid-base balance story has been promoted for medical preparations
such as creams and cleansers, and then for consumer products. Much has
been made of the pH of various cosmetics. Only prolonged contact with undiluted
high or low pH compounds will irritate the skin or damage the hair. Examples
are sodium hydroxide in hair straighteners and high pH washing solutions.
If used properly, even these can be used by almost everyone without problems.
Therefore in general, the pH factor is not a significant issue in the safety
of most cosmetic formulations.
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