My grandmother, on my fathers side, made it to 100 years of age. I loaded up the wife and kids and we made the trek to Ankeny Iowa, to celebrate the accomplishment.
She had been in a nursing home for some time, she could get around still, albeit difficult. Her mind, still sharp as a tack, I mean laser focus. She was really happy I, well we, had made the trip. It was a damn pleasure to be there. The kids got to meet their great grandma, and I got to visit, knowing that given the distance, it might be the last time I’d get see her.
As we were there, she had little to say about her 100 yr. landmark. She didn’t think it was a big deal. In fact, she looked at me and said, “it’s nice I guess, but I’m ready to go.” Which gave me a moments pause, wasn’t expecting to hear that. Most everyone she knew when she grew up, had already passed away. Grandpa died when I was a young teen, the first death in the family who I knew, and it hit me hard. They always treated my like royalty when I could visit. So other than my dad and his wife, she sort of had no one to relate to.
She had polio as a child, and always walked with an unusual gait. Never kept her from getting things done, and never a moments complaint. Any time I was there visiting, which wasn’t often, I was always trying to find things I could help with. I fetched water from the well, they had no indoor plumbing, and you had to use a pump handle to fill up the bucket. There was even an outhouse out back. That’s just the way it was. Even though times had changed significantly, they used what they had, and it worked well enough they felt no need to make the upgrades. This was not the only family we had, who still lived this way. I never gave it a second thought. It just seemed normal, even though since I was old enough to remember, I’d always had the benefit of indoor plumbing. Except when visiting our older relatives.
So, anyway, grandma had lived to 100 years of age. She had a good life, and the aches, the pains, the loss of friends and family, the feeling of isolation, it all added up for her, she was just ready to go.
She did not live to see 101.
There’s something to learn there I think. As appealing as living a long life might be, there will come a point where, the body, the mind, have just had enough. That’s where she was.
We can all only hope, with as much time we are allowed, we can make the best of what may come, and hopefully die quietly in our sleep.
Evidence Based Reality 