Honorable Mention - Timothy Casey, Age 36

Welcome to our Optimistic Essay category. Here you will find the $1,000 winning contest essay, 5 finalist essays and 15 honorable mention essays and a growing list of hand-picked select essays that readers submitted during our "Why Are You Optimistic About the Future?" contest. This is a special category dedicated to those who took the time to share their touching stories and bright perspectives with HappyNews.com.

In a media hungry society, we are often told many ideas that seem to suggest the train that has yet to pull into our station is being derailed. Whether it be the news of the war, or our radically changing and even sometimes dangerous weather patterns, the thoughts of a promising future may look grim. Is our future really darkened by the events that have already transpired? Is optimism dead?

I, for one, do not think so. I see the opposite of the growing gloom in our youth, which seem to be more exuberant, passionate and confident of the future than that of their parents.

You see, I work retail in a record store, selling both CDs and DVDs to a family customer clientele. Often, young men and young women will come in and ask for the latest music. In this world of too many choices, not only is it surprising that most of the time, today's teens know exactly what they want, but they even anticipate releases. Much unlike generations before them, they are confident in their approach, and will ask for help, or they will go on our self-service computers and try and find the title for themselves.

Their minds are abuzz with current events as I hear them discuss with their friends the US occupation in Iraq and the damage of Hurricane Katrina, often expressing their views and concerns in a very open and well spoken idiom. They seem to not have the fear and outrage that many adults display, as I help adults decide want Don McLean CD they should buy.

When I cannot find something in the store, it seems adults are more likely to be upset, whereas the young people seem to be much more accepting that their item can be ordered, or that they may have to order it online. All too often, I have seen the look of disappointment across the face of an adult when I suggest our online store, yet the youth will take it in stride. They do not fear the new technology that brings our world closer together.

I feel greatly that it is the internet that has helped them see past the gloom into a finer approach to living. Their voices are heard in blogs and other net communications. They approach their problems with a positive resolve.

Our future leaders have taken the cup for themselves and have shown me that during the darkest times, they can find the elusive light in themselves and shine the way toward a better tomorrow.