Dear Editor,
Having now lived more than three-quarters of a century, I’m finding that each year seems to pass more rapidly than the previous one.
Even though every year consists of essentially the same number of days, hours, and minutes, it feels like the cycle of time is happening at an increasingly faster rate. This leaves me wondering about my own longevity. What will my lifespan be, and should I be consciously focusing on extending my life or on improving the quality of the years I have left?
As of now, my life has brought me to a point where the most significant aspects are the loving relationships I have with family and friends, which manifest as meaningfulness. I know that my marriage is what most sustains me — it’s effectively a daily booster shot that provides happiness and support. Even though longevity is influenced by a complex interplay of multiple factors, with genetics setting the baseline, at this stage of life, ties to family and friends is my highest priority and are what, I believe, most contribute to sufficient health outcomes.
When I look at people who give meaning to my life, and recognize the fundamental goodness of each one of them, I’m aware of an inner conviction that tomorrow holds promise, and I want to be a part of that tomorrow. It’s essentially a spiritual conviction that stems from God’s two great commandments: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.
For me, there’s a power with relationships that extends beyond religion. What is significant, what is sustaining, is believing in something meaningful and, with a high level of engagement, loving God, my family, and my community. So, as for my sense that each year is flying by at an ever-increasing rate, the meaningfulness in my life is distilled, and the essence of each day becomes consistently more identifiable and homogeneous. After all, it has been said, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
Peter Wibell, Rutledge