Member-only story
How Old Is Old Enough?
And what makes a life you want to hold on to?
When I was young, I thought 60 was old. If you lived that long, you had had enough of life. Or so it seemed to the 20-year-old me. My mother died when she was 67 and I was 30. Although I missed her terribly, somehow I still did not consider her too young to die. She was decades older than I.
Oh, how wrong I was.
My brother died last week, and he was 76. Now I consider that age not nearly old enough. I aspire to the great heights of those who complete 90 years or more with health good enough to enjoy life. Who knows if that will be gifted to me?
But what is the line in the sand that defines what we consider a good enough life to continue it?
Over the years, my husband and I have discussed what factors would impact our wish to stay on this planet in a living body. For a long time, he said that if he couldn’t use his hands, that would be the end for him. He thought that being useful and independent was necessary for a quality of life.
I wasn’t sure. My bar for living was less consistent. And as time passed and children and grandchildren entered my life, I realized that watching them grow up was of greater importance all the time.
