59 or 116--and everywhere in between

The world's oldest person (Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador) has just died, at age 116. The next-oldest person in the world (Elizabeth Bolden of USA) is also 116.

Kinda puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

I'm 30, so if I live to be 116, right now I'm only about a quarter of the way through my life. However, if I live as long as my dad (59), right now my life is half over.

Either way I'm doing my best to live each day to the fullest. That's one of the great lessons we learned from my dad. You never know what will happen. You gotta make the time you have the best it can be. Even if you're suffering or sad or sick or having a rough time, you honor those experiences, you reach out, you keep moving. You love the people who are here now. You breathe deep. You give thanks each day.

I'm convinced that these practices are what helped my dad live as long as he did. And maybe it's what helped Maria Esther de Capovilla live to 116 too.

I love that "in her youth, Capovilla liked to embroider, paint, play piano and waltz at parties." I, too, love to paint, and I love to play the piano, and I love to waltz. Embroidery I'm not so sure about, but I am learning to knit...

59 or 116 or 30... take life by the reins and go!