Old Age is a terrible curse from the God of Love and Care so we are told in
today''s Guardian - there is an article on very old people some of whom
have lived up to 114 years old and their experiences are widely different -
they look as old as the trees in California which are at least 200 years old and
even forest fires have not managed to totally destroy these old trees ... but
I often wonder if in those days say, a century ago when there was no
formal schooling for the bulk of the population here in the UK did the
old folk do their maths correctly or is it possibly just another scam and
one day we will all discover we have been "fooled" by the media ...
I cannot, imagine what its like to walk on the same legs for over one
hundred years yet someone has for 114 years ... are we just
growing more "trees" and has the spirit of life really died out years ago.
Should we ponder awhile on what life is life at such an advanced age or
do we wonder why people are /generation obsessed/with my generation which
is post World War ll - so many of my friends and colleagues of my generation
are dead ... its polite to ask - am I queuing up at the wrong end of the queue
or does the future hold me in an inner prison for at least another 70 years which
is on top of my current age. A solicitor friend thought that
the objective was to introduce "mercy killing" when the body and the soul,
if you believe in such views, part company, then should we as a society
take it upon ourselves to "end" an already out spent life! My current
views are rather like those I picked up in California in the Redwood Forests
of that State and in the USA., that if nature can sort it out then let nature
take its own chances and be the master of our destiny. I suppose its
an entry for the Guinness Book of Records the media are after, rather
than living out a great life in line with what people hold as a "great life".
Lord Trimble the other day contributed to the notion of a "Great Life"
in relation to Elvis Presley and he died at just turned 40 ... I suppose
his fans such as David Trimble prefer to remember him as "The King" of
Rock and Roll, and havent had to worship him in his "old age" ... however,
great numbers of people believe Elvis was a Great Life. Its interesting
to contrast the two concepts ... and leave you, the reader, to make
up your own mind ..
Keep on reading ... the Guardian ... excellent stuff!