And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. – Abraham Lincoln
It is not length of life, but depth of life. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
There’s a life extension mania that’s gripping many boomers these days. I can see why it’s tempting. When I wrote my “best case” eulogy a couple of years ago (assignment from my mentor), I stated that I wanted to live till I was 119, which would be the 100th anniversary of Woodstock, as well as man landing on the moon. I was only half joking, as I figured it was a good mental message to be giving myself. At 50+ years, my life’s not even half over, so whatever passions or accomplishments I can imagine taking on, there’s plenty of time as long as I keep doing what needs to be done to stay healthy and fit.
These quotes from Lincoln and Emerson emphasize quality and contributions, not longevity for its own sake. I once read a quote that went something like, “Today is a good die to die, because all of the good things in my life are here.” (I tried tracking this quote down on the web but couldn’t find it.) I first said it while on a family vacation at Twelve Mile Beach at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore one summer. I quit saying it out loud because my wife Robbie doesn’t like it, but for me, it keeps things in perspective, especially death. And it makes me grateful.
If I got run over by a truck today, it would be sad for my loved ones, sure. But I’m currently enjoying all the things in my life that are important to me, and have been for a while. So in that sense, it would be a good day to die. And so I’ll make the best of it. And maybe I’ll be fortunate to have another one tomorrow.