I was talking with my son the other day and he said something very profound.  “The millennial do not have hope for the future”.  My first thoughts were WHAT? I have been thinking about that since our conversation and trying to understand how this shift happened.

I guess maybe I am from that in between age groups.   Born late in the Baby Boom era.  Many of the older baby boomers I know think much differently than I do, especially about politics. I would describe myself as:

•  too young to have gone to Woodstock but I can identify with the feelings of self-expression, and freedom surrounding it. 
• I was old enough to stay up all night to watch Neil Armstrong say his famous words “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” and really believe we were on the edge of something GREAT!   
• I do have memories of the assignation of JFK and RFK and Dr. King but not old enough to understand why others hated them so much enough to kill them. 
• Old enough to watch President Nixon resign from the office of the President.  I had feelings of sadness that an elected official would actually deceive the country.   After that experience I expected other elected officials would do the same – but they haven’t.

Maybe it was that thing I have inside me “eternal optimism”. My thoughts and feelings that the world will be alright because the good people will stand up for what is right.  The decade of the 60’s was turbulent but as I started becoming more aware of the whole world it felt like it was settling down in the 70’s.  So, I went on my merry way believing in the goodness of the world.

I grew up listening to music that was uplifting like this song from Cat Stevens.  I believe in the world, but it is getting harder especially in 2026.  I am trying to understand what changed and how the molinillos fell about the future.

Now I’ve been happy lately
Thinkin’ about the good things to come
And I believe it could be
Something good has begun

[Verse 2]
Oh, I’ve been smilin’ lately
Dreamin’ about the world as one
And I believe it could be
Some day it’s going to come

[Verse 3]
Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a peace train
Oh, peace train take this country
Come take me home again

[Bridge]
Now, I’ve been smiling lately
Thinkin’ about the good things to come
And I believe it could be
Something good has begun

[Chorus]
Oh, peace train soundin’ louder
Glide on the peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ah
Come on the peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller
Everyone jump upon the peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ah
Come on the peace train

[Verse 4]
Get your bags together
Go bring your good friends, too
Because it’s gettin’ nearer
It soon will be with you

[Bridge]
Now, come and join the livin’
It’s not so far from you
And it’s gettin’ nearer
Soon it will all be true

[Chorus]
Oh, peace train soundin’ louder
Glide on the peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ah
Come on the peace train
Peace train
Oh
Ooh, hoo-hoo, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, hoo-ooh

[Verse 5]
Now, I’ve been cryin’ lately
Thinkin’ about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating?
Why can’t we live in bliss?

[Verse 3]
Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a peace train
Oh, peace train, take this country
Come take me home again

[Chorus]
Oh, peace train soundin’ louder
Glide on the peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ah
Come on the peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller
Everyone jump upon the peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ah

[Outro]
Come on, come on, come on
Yeah, come on, peace train
Yes, it’s the peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ah
Come on the peace train
Peace train
Ooh, ah, ee, ah, ooh, ahPeace Train