Social media constantly bombards Boomers and Gen X’ers with reminders of the good old days like playing outside until the street lights came on. And yes, it was a truly magical time to be a kid. Yet somehow these endless reminiscing posts begin to sound like criticism and we move closer to becoming those old grouches that used to yell, “Get off my lawn!” Remember them? They were the ones who refused to get an air conditioner, covered all the furniture in plastic and their house smelled like moth balls. Those folks clung to their old ways even to the point of misery and they seemed to take great pride in it.

So instead of living in the past, how about we remind ourselves of the ways things are better now than they were then? Then maybe we won’t become that old curmudgeon that smells funny. The next time we feel the urge to tell a story of riding our bikes with no helmet in the snow, up a hill, we will remember that 2023 is the good old days for the younger Generation Y, Z and Alphas. (I googled it. Gen Alpha are today’s new babies.)

Following are a few ways things, in my opinion, are better now than then. Maybe it will help plant a seed of gratitude for our present conditions.

• So many more cancers are treatable or curable.

• Men have figured out that they can cook.

• Talking for hours to loved ones who live far away costs absolutely nothing.

• Pictures don’t require film.

• Writing and publishing doesn’t require paper or publishers.

• You can do automatic draft to pay the bills.

• You don’t have to call in to the DJ to hear your favorite song.

• Board games are still popular.

• We don’t have to run all over the house to reset clocks for daylight savings time.

• You can watch your favorite show when you want to and no one has to get up to change the channel.

• Swimming pools are not just for the YMCA and hotels.

• LED lighting allows everyone to economically decorate their house at Christmas.

• You no longer have to struggle folding that map.

• You can fix stuff yourself with the help of a YouTube video.

• You no longer have to drive from store to store, and sometimes town to town, looking for a replacement part.

• You don’t have to purchase a new set of encyclopedias or drive to the library and look through a jam packed card catalog to learn about a topic of interest.

Ok, your list is probably different from mine so please feel free to add a comment for your favorite thing about the days we live in now and maybe we will all become known as the grateful generation.