I have a friend who decides whether a person is “old” or not by using the age of sixty-four as the line of demarcation. She’s a Beatles fan, so everyone who is sixty-four or better is “older,” everyone else is not yet older.

I love it when musical references become true guideposts in our lives.

One thing I notice, though, about the “older” and almost-older crowd, is the tendency to look to the past with longing, and to look to the future with fear. Even people my age and younger tend to shake their heads and talk about how terrible things are these days, and how things are getting worse.

I’ve written about this topic before, and probably will again. I think when we become people who talk disparagingly about “these days” we automatically enter into the realm of being “older,” regardless of our actual age. As soon as we stop participating in the world as it is we lose our ability to be effective in the world as it is.

There are certainly things I miss from the past, and there are current societal trends that concern me. But I try not to think of these things in negative terms. Sure, we have our share of troubles, but what generation didn’t?

In honor of the holidays this week here is a list of five things that I think are better now than at any other time in my lifetime.

1. Creative Equality – Thank you internet and computer tech! With you, anyone can make a movie, record a song or publish a book or magazine. In your face, exclusive studios and big publishing companies!

2. Healthy Food – I grew up in the days of Wonder Bread and plastic cheese. Now most people know the pleasures of bok choy and kale.

3. Diversity Acceptance – There seems to be more room in the world now for people to be themselves.

4. Social Media – I am in touch with most of the friends I’ve made over the course of my life. And I have new friends I’ve not yet met in person. That’s pretty cool.

5. E-Readers – I’ve moved a lot of times in my life. Each time I do a fully realize just how heavy paper books are.

We have a lot of work to do to correct the problems on our planet right now. I think we’ll be better able to do that work with a sense of gratitude for the blessings that are ours.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Chanukah everyone!