How lucky we are...

There's a line in a song from Hamilton that goes "How lucky we are to be alive right now." I recently saw someone post about how it applies to being alive at the same time as Lin-Manuel Miranda so we can experience this incredible musical (even though the only way I'm doing it so far is through the soundtrack). I definitely agree with that sentiment!

That got me thinking about other reasons I feel lucky to be alive right now vs. a different time period.

*Walt Disney World came about in 1971. If I had been a kid in a different era, I wouldn't have been able to experience it when I was young. I know Disneyland was established in 1955, but it's not like I've ever been to California anyway.

*"Rocky Horror" came out a year before I was born. Had I been a teen/young adult prior to that time, I wouldn't have gotten to enjoy it during my college years.

*Dentistry has made many advancements and dentists seem nicer and gentler than I heard of them being when my parents were kids. (My mom still hates going to the dentist.) I'm glad my kids have had only positive visits to the dentist. And that my dentist was able to fix my tooth when I broke part of it a few years ago. It looks like nothing ever happened to it. I'm sure back in the day, that wouldn't have been so easy!

My younger son at his first dental checkup

*Technology! I am glad I can type everything on a computer and be able to erase my mistakes without having to insert a whole new piece of paper into a typewriter each time. I'm also glad the Internet is around or I wouldn't have been able to connect with some amazing people. I also think cell phones have their advantages. If I had not had a cell phone on the night my car got stuck in the snow, it would have been a lot harder to work things out for getting a ride home. (The Internet was helpful in that situation, as well!)

*Cochlear implants exist. Had I given birth 40 plus years ago, my kids would not have had this amazing miracle to help with their hearing loss. From what I've heard, even hearing aids weren't as user friendly back in the day.

*I grew up in the 80s and 90s. This was a time of amazing pop culture in terms of movies, music, television, fashion, etc.

*Books: I am not a fan of classic literature, so I don't know that I'd enjoy books in a different era, even if that was the only option. I know I wouldn't have V.C. Andrews to keep me sane during my pre-teen and teen years. (Or The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High before that.) And, of course, chick lit wouldn't have been around yet. (And I don't consider Jane Austen to be chick lit. Sorry!)

*There's been a lot of progress recently, even with all the craziness in the world. I know it will always be two steps forward, two steps back, but things have changed a lot from even when my parents were my age. Whether it is marriage rights, accessibility for people with disabilities, an African American President, or a female Presidential nominee, I think a lot of this has to do with the Internet and how it opens a new venue for people to speak out on issues and push for change.