Good Health and Long Life: Last Hope To Outlive My Ignorance

I turned 59 today. No biggie! One day I will be a billion. So, taken in relevance, our goal is not the number of years we live, but good health and usefulness in service to others.

I am 6'4, weigh 220 (added muscle this year), have a resting heart rate most days of 42-48, average over 1,000 cardio fitness miles each year (8th year), and can still run a 1:30 400, 7:30 mile, or a 90-minute 10 miles.

I told the doctor at my last annual exam that I tried to make healthy choices because I wanted to outlive my ignorance, also my mistakes. He looked up from my test results, glanced away to ponder for a moment, then said he didn't see any reason why I shouldn't live to be a hundred.

A neighbor asked why I would want to use a 21" push mower to mow almost an acre of mostly hill side lawn that did not even belong to me. "Well, let's see," I begin, "I have the option to go over to the gym, pay some money for a workout, swim a lap or two, maybe run up and down a basketball court, or to take the same 2-3 hours to push a mower in the fresh air free of charge and get a full body workout, plus perform a community service."

"You tell me," I added, "what makes more sense?"