Number of the Week

Just imagine 100 Christmas Trees, 100 candles on a cake, the century makers are growing in number. Indeed the number for the week is 15.125, the number of Britons living in Britain who have reached 100 years old.

We became healthier and stronger despite climate change , despite war, petrol queues, lack of toilet roll and virus visitations , British person is languishing in longevity. The gender ratio of these survivors is approximately two women for every one man. A century and a half ago the mean life age was circa 38 now it’s 77 but some are making it further down the track.

The question is do you want to be one of those that survive for the 100th birthday party. Will you be able to know any of the guests at the event or even worse recognise who they are if dementia has gotten hold of you. Will you even be able to blow those candles out or be allowed a piece of that cake because of your diabetes. Alas we fortunately do not know the time or the hour that we pass and going down that Liverpool pathway or booking an appointment at the passing out hospice is not the path to take come what may.

However Society must now find a way of looking after the elderly and ultimately that must start at family level and not park the parents in one of those homes in their waiting rooms designed with own armchair. The cost of course of keeping someone is colossal and the funding mechanisms to do that require improvement.

Hezekiah asked God for an extra 15 years and he was given just that. Our lives are in the hands of our Creator Manufacturer and whatever will be will be. One thing for sure is the model mould has become more resilient and more are going to make it. Moses was 120 years old and it was no accident that he lived until he got his job done. Purpose in life can come at any age and therefore we need to treasure its gift and support the 15.125 that got there as one day you might get there yourself.