So with all the praise that is heaped upon the Millennial Generation, I would like to temper it with some reality.  This is our responsibility. We not only have a challenge and an opportunity in front of us, but we have a responsibility.  It is our responsibility to change the world.  It is our responsibility to make things better for everyone living in the world.  It is our responsibility to fix the world and make it a better place.  It is our responsibility to our time and place in life.  Amidst all of the praise and adulation and blue skies and high hopes – we must remember that we have a responsibility.

This is our responsibility.

This Is Our Generation.

We are almost six months into this new decade.  It was hailed as a decade of promise, a decade of reclamation.  We were going to explode out of our depression and struggles and break free into the wide expanses of community and equality.  This was going to be a special decade – and This Generation was going to have a lot to do with that.

So how are we doing?

How are you doing?

How is This Generation doing?

My friends, I encourage you.  I encourage us.  Keep going.  Live.  Dream.  Love.  Learn.  Change.  Act.

Go.  Now.

This is Our Generation.

Simple: Check our iPods.

Music plays an integral part in the life of young people.  Our music represents who we are.  Our music is our constant companion.  Our music helps to say things that we cannot say, take us places where we cannot go, and be things that we hope to be.  It is not just a small distraction or a form of entertainment; it is personal.  It is intentional.  It is all-encompassing.  Do you think that I am going overboard?  I tell you that I am not.  This is our generation – a generation whose music is a part of life.

Indeed, it is the music of life.  Our music intersects and intertwines with our lives.  We connect with the artists, the lyrics, the rhythms and beats.  We find ourselves – our better selves – in the music that we listen to.  We find parts of us.  The music helps us to tell the stories of our lives.  And maybe this is easier for our generation since we can carry around in our pocket all the music that we own.  Myspace, Lala, and  other websites have allowed even the smallest musical artist to spread the wealth of their talents.  Music is more prevelant, widespread, and accessible than ever before.  Regardless of the reasons – the fact still remains: The Millennial Generation engages with music in ways never seen before.

So you say you want to understand us?

Start with our music.

The music of life.

This is Our Generation.

Our generation.

This is our generation.

Our.

Do you know what ‘our’ means? It means that everything that our generation does associates everybody. It means that the reputation that our generation has is our reputation. It is our reputation – no matter what that reputation is. It is our personality – no matter what that personality is. It is our definition – no matter what that definition is. This is our generation. Yours and mine. Every young person. This is our generation. Take it or leave it. But it is all of ours together.

And, you know what? That excites me more than it bothers me. It really does.

Maybe it bothers some of you to be associated with certain aspects of our generation. I mean, no generation is perfect. But our generation has something unique about us that makes us incredibly different than any other generation: we are all in this together. This is our generation. We are communicating. We are connecting. We are combining. This is our generation. And that is the part that excites me – it excites me more than anything else.

I really don’t know if I am explaining this concept very well or not (I guess that is why we have blogs – kind of a test run at writing down ideas and thoughts!). I am just trying to paint a picture of the potential and the power of This Generation due to the fact that we are in this together. We are the most unified, connected, and conversing generation ever. We have the ability to make a difference in the world and to make the world a different place. And we have the heart to bring justice, love, and peace to a world that desperately needs all three. We can do amazing things. We were born into This Generation for such a time as this. And we control the destiny of our generation.

This is our generation.

This is our voice. This is our power. This is our impact. This is our generation. If you want this generation to do something – then join with us. It’s our generation. If you want this generation to go a certain direction and do certain things – then lead us and show us. It’s our generation. If you want this generation to be remembered for something special, something honorable – then start it. It’s our generation. Yours and mine. All of ours. Let’s do these things. Let’s do them together. Let’s start now.

This is our generation.