Opinion
Mark Trahant: The big five-oh a good time to reflect


"A friend of mine turned 50 recently. There were the usual congratulations tossed her way, followed by friendly advice about the meaning of the big five-oh.

But I heard something else: the chorus of "happy birthday" is growing incredibly loud.

We are at the beginning chord of a generational shift. I know a lot of folks turning 50 this year -- and I should -- because some 10,000 people a day are facing a cake bearing all of those candles."

Get the Story:
Mark Trahant: We're on the cusp of a new age of volunteerism (The Seattle Times 6/20)

More Mark Trahant:
Mark Trahant: Ordinary Reagan was extraordinary (06/14)
Mark Trahant: Indian girls team had game back in 1900s (06/07)
Mark Trahant: Voice mail filled with views on Iraqi war (05/17)
Mark Trahant: A familiar story of cultural change (03/22)
Mark Trahant: One Indian in Senate is wrong number (03/08)
Mark Trahant: Division marked another major war too (2/23)
Mark Trahant: We're still fighting the Cold War (01/26)
Trahant: Selling democracy to Indian Country (11/17)
Trahant: Can't trust Uncle Sam with Indian money (11/10)
Mark Trahant: Bush needs to note success and failure (10/20)
Mark Trahant: Technology and the news world (09/29)
Mark Trahant: Preparing for the unthinkable (09/22)
Trahant: When tribes succeed, someone changes rules (09/01)