Context: In the 2nd book of the Ender series, there are 2 teens whose love is deep and beautiful on a Catholic colony on another world. Their love serves as pretty much the only innocent thing in the whole book. But then, at the end, we find out they are unwittingly half brother and half sister. Immediately they stop even talking.
In reference to this in the 3rd book, a family friend sees them working together for the first time in decades in the midst of a crisis. This friend marvels at the good that they did not sleep together.
"adolescents who controlled and channeled their youthful passions were the ones who grew up to be both strong and civilized, Adolescents...who were either too weak to control themselves or too contemptuous of society's norms to try usually ended up being either sheep or wolves-either mindless members of the herd or predators who took what hey could and gave nothing."
Doesn't this ring true? In the toughest times of life, it is how we act that can determine the rest of our lives. When peer pressure is the strongest, if we hold our own we grow to be leaders. When sexual temptation is the strongest, if we remain chaste we grow to have control over our minds and bodies. When the stresses of adulthood assail us, if we can smile and trust in God's provision we will know peace in a troubled world.
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