Three be the things I shall have until I die:

Laughter and hope and a sock in the eye.

- Dorothy Parker

Shaky financial markets, political mistrust, and unpredictable encounters with an international source. Haven’t we seen this before? Plummeting stocks and rising unemployment are nothing to make light of, of course, but as a Baby Boomer it’s easy to spot the similarities between our country’s current predicament and the ones we have already lived to tell about.

Truth be told, I think we Boomers deserve smooth sailing from here on out. Didn’t we follow President Kennedy’s lead when he told us, his fellow Americans, to ask what we could do for our country, rather than what our country could do for us? As a generation, I know we did. We’ve handled some hairy situations before, and quite well, I might add. We made it through Communism, the Vietnam War, and Watergate, only to arrive at….well, the Starr Report, two Iraq wars, and the financial market meltdown. Are these the circu

mstances under which we Boomers are supposed to enter into our Golden Years? If so, no thanks - I think I’d rather go through McCarthyism again.

Then again, our generation – or at least some of its members – played at least a partial role in the recent economic debacle. In fact, some of its most notorious players are card-carrying members of the Boomer generation, including many of the Congressional Democrats and Republicans who acted like unruly siblings instead of getting down to the business of drafting a bailout plan. Despite this, however, I believe we can still hold our heads high. (Thinking back to grade school, there was always a cheater or a bully in every class, but most of us did our own work and played well with others).

Although some of you pessimistic Boomers might resist, try to look on the bright side. As Boomers, we are 78 million members strong. Our generation is a living example of hope and embodies a spirit of renewal, rising out of the ashes of the two World Wars. Due to a rapid series of medical advances over the last several decades, our average lifespan is now 85 years old. We are the first generation to experience this significantly increased lifespan, not to mention a better quality of life as we age.

Still waiting for the other shoe to drop? Don’t bother. Go ahead and deal proactively with the things you can control, but don’t waste time worrying about the things you can’t. Want a second opinion? According to noted psychologist Arnold H. Glasgow, “the future is the past returning through another gate.” In an ironic twist that backs up Dr. Glasgow’s statement, the Associated Press reported on its website yesterday that the financial fallout in this country has a surprising upside. Gas prices have dropped to just under $88 per barrel; the last time they were this low was exactly a year ago, in October 2007.

Want to contribute your two cents? Continue the conversation and take a trip down memory lane at Boomer Yearbook.