On a beautiful spring day this week I was part of a panel at a Féile an Phobail organised Youth Talks Back event in Corpus Christi College in west Belfast.
I get asked to do quite a few panel events these days on a variety of issues.
Audiences at such gatherings are usually made up of what are known as politicos, or geeks to give them their proper title.
Despite being fascinated with all things political, and in fact writing this weekly column about the never ending local political crisis, I do not class myself in that bracket.
I wear far too much fake tan to ever be considered a nerd of any kind.
This event, however, was different in that the audience was made up of young people from a number of schools across west Belfast.
The first thing that struck me was what an ethnically diverse group of teenagers they were.
Our society is changing, our young people are changing, we are no longer two religious tribes locked in endless conflict, albeit now political rather than violent.
The young people at the Féile event included those whose families have travelled to make this country and city their home.
Some fleeing war and persecution, others for economic reasons, some bringing much needed specialist skills to the local workforce.
Their children will now form part the next generation and yet our political class, the people who are put forward for election and voted into power, are not reflective of this changing demographic.
The other thing that stood out was just how informed and confident they were.
At 16 I would have crawled under a chair rather than stand up and speak at a public event.
And yet here was a room full of young people who not only asked questions but displayed a political knowledge and wisdom that would put many paid commentators to shame.
There were Irish speakers from Colaiste Feirste who were passionate about the language and obviously angry at unionist intransigence over an Irish language act. There were also young people who felt the act shouldn't be prioritised over youth provision and tackling issues such as mental health and addiction problems among their peers.
All spoke with confidence, a belief in their opinions and hopes for the future. I was in awe at their confidence and self awareness.
This week the secretary of state Karen Bradley again delayed making any decision over MLAs' salaries and refused to say what the next step would be for government locally, despite being a month on from the failed draft deal that was never a deal.
We are rudderless with a British government, locked into a DUP deal which is clearly impacting and shaping every decision taken in relation to the north - or not taken as the case may be.
Any hopes that Ms Bradley would be a more effective secretary of state than her predecessor James Brokenshire are now all but dashed.
She's shown herself to be every bit as 'dithering' as the man with the ever moving deadlines.
It would seem that almost every move the Tory government take in relation to Northern Ireland must first pass the DUP test of approval.
And all the while decisions on legacy, victims' compensation, school budgets, healthcare reform, waiting lists, infrastructure and legislating for social issues remains in a state of limbo.
I can understand why some of the young people present at that Talks Back event expressed frustration at politicians and politics in general.
We are just weeks away from the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the young people I spoke to this week were born after that event and yet have inherited the negative fallout from it.
While it may seem a hopeless situation, there was an abundance of enthusiasm and talent in that room, young people who will soon come of age and I hope some will channel that talent into civic life.
And so when we come to look back at the 30th and even the 40th anniversary of the historic agreement I can only hope they will be the generation who finally drag us into a new political dispensation.
There was light and hope for the future in that room at Corpus Christi College this week.
We were the generation who lived through conflict but our future is in the hands of those who were born into an imperfect peace.
