I don't know if it's just me, but as I get older I think more about how much life I have left in me. I contemplate what I want to get done in the time that is left. Things to do. Things to see. People to enjoy being around. I find myself checking the life expectancy charts. Today I found that the U.S. life expectancy for a male (2023) is 73.2 on one news site. I'm not sure I'm too happy about that. I'm currently 58 and 73.2 doesn't sound that far away.
A check of the Social Security actuarial life table made me feel much better. That table shows that a 58 year old can expect to live, on average, another 21.95 years putting me at about 80. So, I'm going with those figures and just gained about 7 more years of life.
I'm just playing around with all these figures. I know that anything can happen to us at any time. A speeding bus can hit me. A new disease can hit me. A heart attack can happen at any moment. But, it definitely gives me some hope by viewing the SSA tables at this point in my life.
There are many more life expectancy calculators on the internet from different financial and insurance companies. Some ask a few questions about your life. Some ask for many more details. Some will ask for your age and gender while others ask that plus height, weight, blood pressure, drinking, smoking, etc. All estimates must be taken with a grain of salt since it all involves averages. If you average two men who died at 60 and 90 you get a life expectancy of 75. Which is a 15 year difference plus or minus and shows the vast difference in the actual life lived. I realize that the actuarial table are probably built on average of millions and millions and are pretty accurate for an average life span. But that is all it is, an average. And few of us are average.
I guess we all should look at this in a different way. Rather than look at how long I'm expected to live, I should be looking at what kind of life I expect to live during the time I'm here. A whole different "life expectancy".
As you get older do you ponder the life you have left very often? Have you ever searched the life expectancy tables? I don't mean for this post to be overly morbid. I just want to make sure we all fill our remaining years with the good stuff. Being around those we love and enjoy. Seeing and doing things we want to experience in this life. Finding our purpose. Leaving our legacy and great memories.
I've got to work on my plan for those next 21.95 years I have left and hope to exceed those silly life expectancy tables and live to 150! May you all excel in life expectancy!
Great food for thought. I tend to get so caught up in the day to day activities that I miss the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteMaybe by concentrating on the day to day activities, you will just wake up one day far into the future and realize you lived long past your expectancy!
DeleteCanadian life expectancy quotes 84 for women; 80 for men. My neighbors & I had this discussion just yesterday, me being a lot closer to my best before date than they. I had just bought a used truck for use on my rural property and said this should do me 'til I'm done, at which they scoffed. And the discussion began. I don't dwell on it but I'm certainly conscious of it. I agree with you about focusing on how I want to live in the years I have left.
ReplyDeleteI like those Canadian expectancies! Not a bad place to be.
DeleteIf you're 84 you will likely look back at what happened. That's an enjoyable part of life. Contemplation.
ReplyDeleteI bet that is something to look back on 84 years of great memories!
DeleteI'm eight years your junior and find myself doing the same thing. It certainly makes me want to start cracking on that lengthy list but I got started creating a family way later than most and will be nearly your age before my youngest graduates from high school. I have been referred to as "Grandpa" by some of her classmates. But I temper those "time is wasting" feelings by knowing that I accomplished a lot in my 20's that my peers couldn't because they were busy with their families, and I did it when I was in my prime instead of when I was slowing down.
ReplyDeleteMost predictions have me living into my 90s. But I have arthritis. So I worry about quality of life when I hit my 80s. I try to take care of myself. But still ...
ReplyDeleteThe quality of life and health is a big concern and factors into planning. Along with my thinking of how long do I have left on this planet, I have the thought of how long to I have good health to enjoy activities and travel.
DeleteI am with you on this one. The last few years I have become acutely aware of the time I have left. It has made me more appreciative of every moment. Now lets beat those expectancy tables!
ReplyDeleteThinking about such a topic does lead to appreciating the time we have and those special moments in each day.
DeleteI haven't looked, but my husband at 80 is looking at traveling more with the time he's got left. I'm 5 years younger and don't have as much energy as he does.
ReplyDeleteI like his attitude and energy at 80 to be looking to do more traveling. Go, Go, Go!
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