Today, I am thankful for longevity.
In today’s world where we all ache for the latest technology, the newest song, and most recent Instagram post, it’s often hard to celebrate those things that persevere. Yet, I would argue that long-lasting items actually have value.
For example, let’s consider the band that has epitomized the phrase ‘Rock of Ages’, the venerable Rolling Stones. In existence since 1962, the 4-man group is still rocking into its sixth decade. I can also call attention to the Great Wall of China, which has survived attacks since the 7th Century BC. I could even conjure up Jonathan, an amazing tortoise who was born in 1832 and still resides on the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic.
When we think about longevity, we naturally gravitate to life expectancy. The good news is that human longevity has continued to increase over the centuries. By the end of the 19th Century (1899), the average life expectancy was 49 years. Fast forwarding to the end of the 20th Century (1999), the mean life expectancy had increased nearly 3 decades to 78 years. Pay thanks to refrigeration, improved nutrition, advances in medical screening and surgery advances, and the advent of antibiotics & vaccines.
So, let’s celebrate longevity. On this day (Feb 6) back in 1952, Elizabeth II was crowned the queen of England. Although the official coronation did not occur until June 3, 1953, she became the Queen in February 1952, while on vacation with Philip in Kenya, after the untimely death of her father. Amazingly, she has served in this capacity for 68 years – a tribute to her longevity as the oldest and longest-reigning British sovereign.
So, today, I pay tribute to those who live long. I realize that this goes in the face of what Martin Luther King Jr. once said: The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what’s truly important. Yet, I prefer to prescribe to the philosophy of the famed, cigar-smoking comedian George Burns:
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