There have been problems of one kind or another for every generation. Our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had to meet challenges difficult to imagine now, and believe me, they had their share of nasty diseases to deal with. I would not want to live in the world where child mortality was almost a norm.

If they grew up in Europe during the wars, our present-day lives would seem like a walk in the park. There have always been drugs and alcohol, and many years ago more drugs were legal than there are now.

Heck, our parents went through a period of time when thousands of nuclear warheads were kept at the ready to launch around the world. There are still missiles, but a lot fewer of them, and no longer on the triggers they once were.

Even now, many Americans have no idea how good they have it, even compared to the rest of the present-day world.