If ever Peter Drucker's advice, "Know thy times," was relevant, it is today. Knowing our
times in all the ambiguities, anxieties, and uncertainties we face in 2007 requires all the
insight, awareness, and "looking out the window and seeing what is visible but not yet seen"
we can muster.

Many people look to history for perspective on our times. "The past is prologue," after all.
I agree. Yet it is also important to look to the future. How can we see what the future
holds? We can look to the leaders of the future, those who are just starting out on their
journeys.

There is something special about this generation of young leaders. I find they have little
cynicism, and great, great interest in making a difference. I see in their principled,
ethical, courageous leadership their definition of the leaders of the future, which they
just happen to be.

On college campuses this last year I witnessed a remarkable convergence of interest in
leadership, values, and ethics in just a few weeks-on three Saturdays. The
convergence was all about leadership, all about ethics, all about inclusion, all about
creating a brighter future. Three Saturdays showed me a generation that will look at
the darkness of our times and see enormous opportunity to make a difference, wherever the
work, whatever the sector. They will make opportunities to change lives, help build the
healthy community, and in the end, sustain the democracy. To me this is the big picture of
the class of 2007. They know they are called to make a difference. Big call, bright future.
To these young leaders, "to serve is to live" is not a strange language.