"Step by Step" A Passage of Rites Message

Dipo puberty rites in Ghana: How prepared for adulthood?

Passages of rites like Quincineras for Latinos, Dipo for Ghana’s Krobos or  Bat Mitzvahs for Jews maybe different methods to help ready societies’ younglings to face life.

As adults, and if occurrences near and in the news are any indications to go by however, no one is really prepared to face life who, has ever been through such rites of passage or gone through the formal system of education that have trumped the former.

Forewarned is forearmed and after the age of 8 and before age 15, for every adolescent growing up, Whitney Houston left a guiding message titled, STEP BY STEP.

Well there's a bridge and there's a river that I still must cross. As I'm going on my journey Oh, I might be lost. And there's a road I have to follow, a place I have to go. 

Well no-one told me just how to get there. But when I get there I'll know, cause I'm taking it 

Step By Step, Bit by Bit, Stone By Stone Brick by Brick Step By Step, Day By Day, Mile by mile 

 

And this old road is rough and ruined So many dangers along the way So many burdens might fall upon me So many troubles that I have to face 

Oh, but I won't let my spirit fail me, I won't let my spirit go Until I get to my destination, I'm gonna take it slowly 'cause I'm making it mine.

Whitney at 2009 Grammys

Say it, baby, don't give up you got to hold on to what you got. Oh, baby, don't give up.

You got to keep on moving on don't stop I know you're hurting, and I know you're blue,  I know you're hurting but don't let the bad things get to you.

 

Persistence, patience, never giving up, hope, self discovery, all the motivational words an adolescent needs growing up towards adulthood captured in a song. Words responsible parents needs in that conversation with an adolescent.

Next, a Whitney Houston song for you in adulthood