I’M currently reading a book on how people become politically reactionary. It’s by an American author. I’m not enjoying it much but what interests me is his view that many people have a tendency to hanker back to “the good old days” or a golden age in their country’s history. We see this in the USA and UK political spheres, with phrases such as “let’s take back control” and “make America great again”. Both phrases suggest how much better things used to be, and by inference how bad things are now.

We also see it in people’s views about everyday things like music, football and television programmes. All those great bands and singers – how I miss Bob Marley! – those brilliant teams we used to have, when “real footballers” showed how the beautiful game should be played, and the marvellous television programmes of the 1960s or 1970s. It seems we have on the one hand, a built-in nostalgia, and on the other a pessimistic view of the present and future.

Obviously sometimes that perspective would be accurate. Compare my father’s life in 1938 with five years’ later in 1943. In 1938 he had just left school and was an agricultural student in a secure, loving farming household, not very well off, but living a good life. Five years later his mother was dead, from starvation, his father dead from cancer, his home destroyed, his country occupied by Stalinists and Nazis, and he lay between life and death in a hospital in Tehran.

Not much there to dispute the view about the good old days contrasted with how bad it was later. But that’s the exception.

Let’s look at some reasons to be grateful rather than gloomy about the present, especially concerning everyday things that we tend not to even notice any more because they are so familiar.

Firstly, and most importantly, you are alive. As a statement of the obvious this surely takes the gold medal. And yet …

Consider the alternative. Not seeing another sunrise. Never to experience again being with those you love most. Never to know what developments in cancer research may arise. Never to have any experiences ever again.

Now, for some people in very extreme circumstances may indeed prefer death to remaining alive. But for most of us life is precious – if only we stop to think about it. Mindfulness trains you to notice the reality of the wonder and pricelessness of your moment by moment awareness of being alive.

Next, consider what actually keeps us alive practically. These are, in order of importance and urgency, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the clothing and home that keep us warm and secure from the weather and the uncertainties of the outside world.

Despite our increased industrialisation, globally the air we breathe is cleaner than it has been for decades, because of the brilliance of our scientists and technologists, and the adoption of regulations and new methods, albeit very slowly, by our political leaders. The air we breathe is not harmless but it has reduced in toxicity and is still improving. This means our children are likely to breathe even purer air than us.

We get our drinking water mostly from a tap. It is paid for by taxation so is free at point of need – that is, whenever we are thirsty. It is pure enough not to give us diseases or illness, and it is utterly essential for our continued existence. People less than 10 hours flight from Scotland die from drinking unclean water virtually every day. Some die from a lack of any water at all. Yet we have it beautifully cool and clean via the rain that falls so magnificently from the clouds over our heads, into reservoirs created to keep us alive and healthy. From there the water goes via water purification plants to mile upon mile of pipes until it emerges sparkling into our glass from the tap.

This in my opinion is akin to a miracle. Mindfulness practice is to just notice the reality of this. In 1832, some 3000 people died in Glasgow of cholera, a water-borne disease. We live without that fear, without that tragedy. Notice this with a clear, gentle awareness when you next fill your glass with water, and be grateful that we have this.

There are a thousand other things we can be grateful for, from mobile phones and social media, to global travel for most in the rich world and so much else.

None of this is to forget or ignore the plight of others. But for you to be mentally well and physically energised enough to fully live your life, you need to be nourished by thoughts and awareness of all reality, not just the bad stuff. The scientific evidence is unequivocal: think pessimistically and you die younger. You also get tired more easily and more regularly, a condition hardly conducive to enjoying life or helping greater causes.

There is so much to be done still. Innocent people die of hunger (and thirst). We have the disgrace of a need for food banks, of increased homelessness. All are utterly unacceptable.

But in the midst of our compassion and concern for others remember that there is much to be grateful for, so notice it. Be mindful and allow gratitude to build deep inside you.