Back in the day, human beings used to live longer, according to the Bible.
That’s probably because the people weren’t subject to HMO’s, Big Pharma, pesticide-tainted food and water, and crackpot presidents pushing phony medical advice for political purposes. Cancer had yet to be invented, “fast food” was a pipedream, and there were no doctors (or lawyers!) to confuse people. According to Genesis, Average Joes lived for hundreds of years, and one guy named Methuselah lived to the ripe old age of 969.
Alas, those were the Good Old Days.
Today, I turned 74 years old. It is amazing, given all the obstacles, particularly in this age of pandemics, horrible diseases, and gun-happy lunatics wandering our streets. When I was a teenager, it was my belief that anyone older than forty was a fossil, with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Growing up in the Nuclear Age, and with the Commies threatening to “bury” us, I doubted that I’d live to drive a car, grow a moustache, or get laid.
Against all odds, I survived!
Looking back on the seven-plus decades, I must give thanks to my parents for conceiving me and giving me a moral code by which to live, my teachers for educating me, my colleagues for helping me achieve a very fulfilling career, and my wonderful wife Charlie for giving me forty-eight years of a wonderful marriage and four stepsons who have enriched my life. Really, it’s been a wonderful life.
So far.
I’ve been blessed to have a relatively illness-free life. No major diseases, very few injuries, and I’ve successfully avoided (up until this year’s crappy allergy-caused bronchitis, which has finally ended!) flus, common colds, and the like which most people have to deal with. Good genes, I guess: again, “Thank You” to my parents! And, of course, good luck.
Reflecting back on the many years that I’ve survived, it seems to me that the key to living is…to not be bored. Accepting the physical changes that occur in one’s body, and actually seeking changes in one’s life to remain engaged, is important to feeling alive…despite advancing age.
I’ve always sought out new hobbies, new career opportunities, and new adventures to pursue in my marriage with Charlie. Who wants to be stuck in a rut? The same food on the same day of the week, the same boring job, the same friends, the same routines…not for me! “Variety is the spice of life” and a key to a long, interesting one.
In my younger days, I played all manner of sports, swam competitively and was a lifeguard, water and snow skied, became a “6 handicap” golfer, played billiards for money, enjoyed the fraternity life in college, and dated a lot of nice gals. In my thirty-year career, I changed jobs periodically for the challenge of mastering new skills, I became progressively more valuable to my employer, and rose to the assistant CEO of a 12,000-employee organization. I married a woman with four young sons: what a challenge that was! I owned a horse for a time and became an arena competitor. I’ve traveled all over the world in my 48-year marriage. Charlie and I have lived in five progressively finer homes.
It has been a very interesting and fulfilling life, thus far.
For the past fourteen years, Charlie and I have enjoyed the company of several Boston Terrier dogs. This has given us much satisfaction in training them, playing with them, and providing them with a quality life. Up until yesterday, we were a two-dog household (Baby, 5, and BonBon, 1-1/2). However, another Boston Terrier who needed a home came to our attention via the local animal rescue organization. We didn’t need “Vinnie” (age 15 months), but he needed us.
In a way, the little fellow is my 74th birthday present. But really, Vinnie hit the jackpot when he joined the Manning pack: the other two dogs adore him, and he now has a safe, wonderful life to look forward to. We eagerly anticipate many happy years with the little guy, going for walks, playing in our spacious backyard, and traveling with us in the RV. He’s going to love the beach in Oregon!
So, just a little extra spice added to our lives, something “new” to keep things interesting as we head into our mid-Seventies. Change is good.
Maybe that’s how Methuselah lived so long? (He had Boston Terriers!)
