Holy heck. Even though the average life expectancy age has been dropping worldwide, it doesn’t seem to matter.
Old people are living longer. Like, way longer.
Not too long ago, I saw good Sister Andre’ in the news. She has become the world’s oldest person, at 118 years old, according to Guinness World Records. The good Sister resides in a nursing home in southern France.
She is also the oldest nun in all of history. Amen to that.
And yes, you read it right. On this Earth for 118 years.
She was born Lucile Randon on February 11, 1904. Can you imagine the things she has seen in her lifetime? Regardless of what the world was doing, Lucille turned herself into a nun and dedicated most of her life to religious service. Before entering the convent, she looked after children during World War II.
Just as a matter of note. She contracted Covid-19 in 2021. As you can see, she made a full recovery, and it only took her a couple of weeks.
But all of this hubbub has given her mixed feelings about becoming the new oldest living person. In a CNN report, she said this:
“I feel I would be better off in heaven, but the good Lord doesn’t want me yet.” Then she said that the old age title, was, in fact, a “sad honor.”
So you know that old song? “… if you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain….”
Well. That’s not her, exactly. But. Sister André enjoys chocolate and wine, and she drinks a glass every day. Another Amen to that, and throw in a Cheers! As another item of note. There have also been ten different Popes presiding over the Catholic Church since she was born. Easy come. Easy go.
Unfortunately, this prestigious honor came in the way of a death. Sister André became the world’s oldest gal following the passing of Kane Tanaka. Kane was a Japanese woman who stuck with it for 119 years. Then, she died, on April 19, 2022. I do not know the cause of death, but I’m guessing a piano fell on her from some window, high above, as she was strolling down the sidewalk, It had to be.
But neither of these are the world’s oldest. The top winner — I guess you’d call it a winner — went to Jeanne Calment, born in 1875 and staying on this earth until 1997. Her age was 122 years, 164 days. She was also from France.
The number two spot goes to an American. Sarah Knauss, entering into this world in 1880 and hitching a ride out in 1999. She was 119 years, 97 days.
The old.
Here is something to consider, with all this aging going on. Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%.
And, the number of people 60 years old and older now outnumbers children younger than five years. This happened in 2020.
Yes. The older are getting more numerous.
But the fact remains. We, humans, are born with an expiration date stamped on our butts. Like a carton of milk. From the moment of conception, the fate is inevitable. Somehow, someday, we all die.
It used to come a whole lot earlier. In ancient Rome, people could expect to live to be around 30 to 35 years. But with more knowledge came longer lives. When the middle of the 20th century rolled around, life expectancy, here in the United States, was up to 65 for men and 71 for women.
And now? Well, it looks like most of us will live to be around 78 years old. But as we see with Sister Andre’, it could be a whole lot longer.
Growing older is filled with good things, though. We are hopefully wiser and more at peace. We enjoy and appreciate the little things.
Yet. The weirdest things also happen with old age.
Like.
The older we get, the earlier it gets late.
And so it goes.
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I’ve learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
— Andy Rooney
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I’m at an age when my back goes out more than I do.
— Phyllis Diller
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So far, this is the oldest I’ve been.
— George Carlin
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