The
Good Old Days. You look back on these days and think how great they were.
High school was great. All you did was talk and party. There were never any problems. No one did bad things. We worked hard and loved it. Uphill both ways...
College was the best. In fact, heaven couldn't hold a candle to college. Utter freedom and satisfaction.
Being young was great. You had the world in your hands. Everyone liked you. You were so good looking.
Being single was great. Being able to go from partner to partner and having such freedom.
Life was great before the kids. You and the spouse were alone and could do whatever you wanted.
Life was great before the kids left. Now you are so lonely.
The past always seems the best. The problems you had, assuming you remember them, seem silly and unimportant. Of course, the problems you have now are very important.
Don't idealize the past. The past wasn't fundamentally better than the present. Your sadness in the past was as real as your happiness or your current melancholy. Maybe then you can relate with younger generations better.