But eventually, if all this progress merely leads to strengthening the bond with our local pharmacists only, is that really a victory? In other words, if we are indeed living for longer periods of time, are these additional years truly spent in good health? Or are we simply extending our lives, to spend them decades later on forgetting our own name, being taken around in a wheelchair and hunting for lost car keys, eyeglasses, hearing aid, or all of the above?
Nevertheless, expanding on the lifespan vs health-span debate is fascinating because though the conversation might sound scientific, in reality, it is rather simple. Hence, if lifespan is the calculation of how long one lives, then health-span is the description of achieving that milestone – where normal everyday tasks like bending, chewing, recognising people, and getting out of chairs without needing both prayer and physics become more and more challenging with each passing day.
In a nutshell, lifespan counts our years whereas health-span tallies how many of those years are spent upright, alert, mobile, and us being reasonably pleased to be alive.
However, modern life, oddly enough, is both the problem and the promise because we have fitness watches to remind us to breathe, apps that congratulate us for drinking water, and ergonomic chairs that claim to prevent us from folding like lawn furniture. Yet, most of us still spend our days sitting, scrolling, and quietly wondering why our backs sound like bubble wrap.
Meanwhile, we have started to treat aging as if it is a malfunctioning device where wrinkles must be frozen, grey hair dyed, and creaking joints negotiated with. Also, instead of accepting that bodies change, we view every birthday with a warranty which is about to expire. The message being, grow older, but do it invisibly.
Interestingly, in sharp contrast is the extended lives of those blue-zone people (the ones who live long and well), which seems almost like cheating. They don’t ever count steps because they simply walk to places they have to and don’t need mindfulness sessions because they basically live around people that they like. It makes one wonder that maybe the goal of living is not outsmarting death but actually participating wholeheartedly and mindfully in the great drama of our own life itself!
Moreover, the uncomfortable truth remains that many of us are adding years to our lives but not enough life to our years. We announce that we want to live to a hundred, but forget to add, preferably with working knees, a sense of humour, and the ability to eat solid food.
“Do you think the future belongs to those who live the longest,” I asked my husband this morning.
“Huh?” he mumbled distractedly.
“You never listen to me,” I accused.
“Is it smart to stick around this planet for extra decades?” he rephrased my question.
“Yup,” I prompted, surprised that he had heard.
“Depends,” he said
“On what?” I was curious.
“On whether there will be cake on my 90th birthday,” he replied.
“And?” I prodded.
“And if I am allowed to eat it,” he chuckled.
