I always get excited when people say, “The future is here, now.”

My mind overflows with images of throwing off old shabby coats and well-worn hats and scarves, to reveal bright colors and airy fabrics that reflect the glorious sunshine, which, by the way, is what I’m looking at outside my window as I write this post.

Okay. So maybe “The future is here, now” is a pretty common phrase. I’ve heard it many times. Maybe you have, too? Yet it never fails to work its magic on me.

But, if I’m so excited about hearing the phrase, can you imagine how excited I feel when I’m actually witnessing the future?

That is, can you guess how I feel when I work with young people who are coming up in the advertising/public relations/marketing and communications fields? I am exhilarated! I get to see their new ways of doing things and their fresh approaches. And I feel the radiated glow of their energy and commitment.

Last month I had the great good fortune to be a part of a student development event at a local college, and since then I’ve been doing some one-on-one mentoring with another young person who is embarking on a communications-as-a-profession journey.

I’m so grateful for these opportunities. And while I hope that I’ve contributed something to the young people in these cases, I have to admit, selfishly, that I’ve gotten so much more out of them for myself. Novel ideas. Radical perspectives. Re-commitment to values. Renewed energy. Oh, and a lot of laughs.

So, here’s my call to action to you, communications professional: Reach out to your local college, high school, library, community center, or the professional association to which you belong, and find a way to contribute to the up-and-coming generation by sharing your expertise and know how. Maybe you can provide writing help. Maybe you can share your hard-won career wisdom. Maybe you have technical wizardry to dole out. Whatever your communications experience or specialty, there are young people who are the communicators-of-the-future who will benefit from your acumen and skills.

You’ll be so glad you did because the future will be here, now, before you know it.