There are 122 of them. All were born on the same day as Ziarul de Gardă, on July 29, 2004. In that year, at the end of July, in our country or in the world, several events took place: it marked a decade since the adoption of the new Constitution, which, among other things, guaranteed the neutrality of Moldova, but also the state language status for the “moldovan language” operating on the basis of the Latin alphabet. Also on July 29, 2004, in the middle of the summer vacation, the Transnistrian police stormed the “Evrica” High School on the left side of the Dniester, evacuating the women and children inside the building, in order to anticipate a possible attack on this institution. Also on July 29, the US ambassador to the OSCE condemned the actions of Tiraspol and asked Russia to use its influence on the leadership of the Transnistrian region and to resume the withdrawal of troops from the area. The anthem “Deșteaptă-te, române” was 156 years old on this day since it was first sung, and on the same day, in Cimișlia, there was a tragic road accident, as a result of which two children died immediately, and another died in hospital. With the passage of time, the most significant event of the day seems to be the birth of a number of 122 children – girls and boys who on July 29, 2023 turn 19 years old.

Who and how are they?

ZdG managed to talk to some of the 122 young people born on the same day as the newspaper. It was our curiosity to know them and find out how their lives were and are, how their dreams evolved. Where did they end up and where are they going and above all, how do they see courage, who are the brave people in their lives and why does Moldova need braver people today?

Some of the young people we talked with know Ziarul de Gardă, although they do not read it constantly. Mădălina Vizir from Costuleni, Ungheni, even knows that she shares the same birthday as ZdG. Most of those we talked to have almost similar destinies: they grew up alone, with their parents away working abroad, and decided for themselves how to live their life, suppressing their longing for their parents and inhibiting their dreams that needed wings. Some have rushed to make their own money, knowing that the work of their parents away from home is not an easy one and that they must also make efforts to overcome the hardships of loneliness. Most of them dropped out of high school and after graduating from the 9th grade, they tried to get some formal education or found a job, but being still minors, they got only unofficial employment. Others have worked while studying and reaching the end of their high school studies with very good results. Different destinies that, however, have a common milestone – 19 years old on the same day – on July 29, 2004.

In Cimișlia district, on July 29, 2004, two children were born. One of them, let’s call him Z., as he requested to remain anonymous, was fatherless, and his mother, with the two younger children, went abroad to support her family left without support. This year, Z. graduated from high school and is ready to fight for his dreams. “Courage? We need it to try something new, but mostly to find ourselves. From people I know, I think my mother is brave. I know it wasn’t and isn’t easy for her to raise us. Without courage, she certainly wouldn’t have succeeded”, Z tells us.

On July 29, 2004, 4 children were born in the Strășeni district. We talked to P., who also asked not to reveal her identity. She told us with pain that her mother died when she was little. P. left the village after graduating from secondary school, trying to get a profession as soon as possible, in order to be financially independent. She wanted to be the master of her future, even though she is the youngest in the family and has all the support of her three older brothers. About courage? The first thought that came to her was that of her father. “He’s brave. After my mother’s death, he took care of all of us every day. So, together, we went through very hard times. Yes, my father is a brave man”, says P.

Among the three children born in Fălești district on July 29, 2004, we found Daniel Ursu from Albinețul Vechi. He was very emotional because on the exact day, we were talking, his mother, Ludmila, had her birthday. “This year, I was the first to congratulate her. At 24:00 I entered her room with a bouquet of flowers. We both had great emotions”, Daniel told us. Another joy of his is related to the fact that after graduating from high school he was able to determine where he will continue his studies. “From the 7th grade I decided that I would be a doctor, so I will apply to the University of Medicine”, Daniel tells. According to the young man, courage is the ability to set new goals and not be afraid of mistakes. “Our parents have courage because, day by day, they fight for our future, without being afraid of difficulties or failures. My father is away working abroad, and my mother, after seeing her three children grown up, she decided to study at the Pedagogical University of Bălți. She dreams of becoming a teacher. I think it’s an act of courage”, says Daniel proudly.

In the Șoldăneşti district, on July 29, 2004, a single child was born – Adelina Morari from the village of Rogojeni. She seems open, honest, respectful, and fair. At a young age, she and her two siblings were left motherless. “We are very lucky to have our grandmothers, Liuba Morari and Galina Ardeleanu. After my mother’s death, they were our mothers and fathers. For that I am infinitely grateful to them”, says Adelina. We talk about her work. She says that after the 9th grade, she started working in the “beauty industry”. She likes to take care of her clients’ physical aspect. She hopes to become an even better professional. About courage? “Our grandmothers have a lot of courage and we thank them for that. They taught us that to become a good person in life you have to put in a lot of effort. From them I learned what it means to love your neighbor”, explains Adelina, saying that sometimes, at 19 years old, even life seems to be an act of courage.

Marius Dragomir from the village of Zaim, Căușeni is one of the four children from the district born on July 29, 2004. He recently graduated from high school, with serious plans for studies and launching into the business world.

He says that his high school years matured him and made him see his perspectives in life differently. He claims that his school years were also good, but he believes that the study program is too demanding and that new technologies are not studied enough. He says that only those who believe in themselves have courage. He hesitates to give names of brave contemporaries, instead, he says that Stephen the Great was the bravest in the history of our nation. “No one can compare with him, especially with the way he fought for the nation and the country. To win so many wars is more than simple victories”, says Marius.

Three young people, including Dumitru Ignat from Mingir village, were born on July 29, 2004, in Hîncești district. A few days ago, Dumitru was enlisted in the National Army. We asked him if he is not afraid to become a soldier in the conditions in which, close to the eastern border of Moldova, we have a violent war. “I’m not afraid. I know how to fight back. I could also handle the combat weapon, probably”, explains the young man who, until enlistment, worked on a construction site, together with a friend of his, Denis. Asked about courage, about brave people, Dumitru says, without doubt, that he and Denis are brave. “Denis is a friend who doesn’t throw words, who keeps his promises.” Another brave one, in his view, is Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC martial arts champion. “He’s very strong. I admire him. He’s a role model for me,” says Dumitru, stating that “when you’re not afraid, that is, when you’re brave, you’re also strong.”

In Ungheni district there are four young people born in 2004, on July 29. Mădălina Vizir from the village of Costuleni, is one of the four. She studies architecture and interior design at a college in Iași, Romania. While we were looking for Mădălina, we exchanged a few words with her mother, Sachina, who came on vacation from Great Britain, where she has been working for several years with her husband, Radu, Mădălina’s father. We asked her what it was like on July 29, 2004. “Very hot. I had the impression that everything around me was boiling. I gave birth to her at the maternity hospital in Ungheni. From the very first moments, I understood that she would be brave, reliable, courageous”, says the young woman’s mother. Mădălina believes that it is very important to have courage in life. In her view, her mother is brave. “She gave me life when she was only 20 years old, still a student at the time. Now young women are not in a hurry to give birth so early. Then, years later, after I graduated from the 9th grade, she had the courage and faith in me when she allowed me to do my studies far from home, in Romania, with my parents going to work abroad”, says the young woman, remembering that from an emotional point of view, it was very difficult for her to overcome these separations. She sees her future in Romania, where she believes she will succeed in making a professional career.

Vlada Pulbere from Mileștii Mici is one of three children born in the Ialoveni district on July 29, 2009. Freshly graduated from high school, she sees her future in the IT field, because she is not passionate about anything else. She says courage is nothing but “the ability to take risks”. Chemist and physicist Marie Curie, known for the discovery of polonium and radium, but also for research in the field of radioactivity, is a model of courage for Vlada. “Although she was discriminated against on the basis of gender by some of her colleagues, she continued to work in her scientific research, even obtaining the Nobel. She was brave,” Vlada explains.

Călin Grițco was born in Lalova, Rezina, on July 29, 2004. On the same day, two more children were born in Păpăuți and Rezina, who turned 19 on July 29. Călin says that he had a very beautiful childhood, full of adventures, games, and fun with friends. Only at school did he understand that “to become a successful person you have to put in a lot of effort and devote a lot of time to studies.” Now, after graduating from high school, he is preparing for a career in the IT field. For him, courage means confidence in one’s own powers. “Every person is brave in his own way. My father, Igor Grițco, I think he is a brave man. We saw this when he showed us how well he can defend his family, how beautifully he takes care of us”, says Călin, recalling that in history he does not know a braver character than Stephen the Great. 

Courage – bravery, will, the ability to face fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. “Physical courage” is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or the threat of death. “Moral courage” – the ability to act firmly in the face of opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.

Adolescence vs Courage

Daniela Sîmboteanu, psychologist

Adolescence usually begins at age 10-12 and ends at 18-20. For the adolescent period, the increased need for independence, and identification with a social group is specific. Teenagers go through a complex process of self-discovery and identity definition. Thus, with the exploration of identity comes the struggle for independence.

One can observe in teenagers a significant tendency of psychological separation from their parents: changes in behavior, teenager is often misunderstood by parents or teachers. Usually, the teenager begins to spend more time with themselves, close the door of their room, spend more time outside the family, speak to their parents monosyllabically, etc. At the same time, the teenager strongly support their own convictions, expresses their feelings and opinions with confidence, faces challenges, being sure of their own strength.

It is important for parents to wisely accompany their child in this transition, to be aware that separation from the family is a physiologically dictated need, based on changes in the brain (the level of dopamine decreases – the neurotransmitter responsible for the feeling of pleasure). The changes stimulate the emergence of four characteristics of the mind: novelty seeking, social engagement, emotional intensity, and creative exploration. Accordingly, the adolescent, unlike in childhood, is attracted to trying new things, experiencing intense emotions, rejecting patterns, and finding new ways of being. Each change contributes to the reconfiguration of thinking, the emotional sphere, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making.

In this way, courage represents the quality of adolescents to transfer themselves into the world of adults, to take a leap in their development and to face challenges and uncertainties when exploring new realities and social relationships.

The benefits of adolescent changes are undeniable – it is the period when the person creates her own identity, and the changes, when made in a healthy context, contribute to the development of an emotionally mature personality. The desire to expand one’s social relationships helps to form supportive relationships, emotional intensity provides vitality, joy, and energy. The creative spirit generates new, original ideas, but also satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment. All these feelings fuel the adolescent’s courage to navigate the adult world and explore as many new things as possible. But, we also have the other side of the coin, called risks. The desire to experience thrills, minimizing the risks of dangerous behaviors makes the adolescent vulnerable, dependent on group pressure, disoriented, and confused. Here, the relationship with parents is crucial. Adolescents who perceive that they are accepted by their parents are less likely to exhibit risky behaviors, and develop depression, or mood disorders. Those who perceive that they are rejected by their parents or who feel that they are treated with aggression, hostility, or indifference, are more likely to show hostility, and aggression, become dependent, have low self-esteem, and heightened emotional instability.

In order to have a healthy and harmonious relationship with the teenager, some important aspects should be considered:

• Encourage your teen’s interests outside of the family, but monitor her activities. Thus, teenagers perceive that you care about them and this matters.
  
• Talk about what the teenager does outside the family, about the music, movies, and shows she watches. Suggest that it is good to have interests outside the family.
  
• Maintain the relationship with her. Stay connected despite differences of opinion that may arise. Don’t let conflicts, or differences of opinion drive you away. In her world, the teenager needs you, even if she says she doesn’t.
  
• Use empathic communication, give her the opportunity to express herself, even if you don’t agree with her point of view. Give her the opportunity to negotiate certain matters that are not high-risk or do not expose her to risk.
  
• See the separation as the child’s departure into an exciting world full of opportunities, not as a separation from you. She is moving into a world of developmental opportunities. This will help her feel part of this world when she is an adult.