Would You Like To Live To A Hundred?

Posted by : foongpc | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 | Published in

ADVERTISEMENT


There is a small village in Southern China called Bama where people are living to the ripe old age of 100 and above. It is so famous that now tourists are flocking to that village to see for themselves and to discover the secret behind the villagers' longevity.

Watch this video for the report.



Could their longevity be due to the water they drink? Or the food they eat? Or the clean air they breathe? Or is it due to their carefree, relaxing lifestyle devoid of any stress and mental problems? Could their daily activities and 'tai chi' exercises contributed to their long life span?

Or even maybe, it's all due to the good feng shui or the magnetic field in the area.

Perhaps it is the combination of all these factors that hold the secret to their longevity.

Whatever it is, do you want to be like them - to live to a hundred and beyond?


100 Longevity Characters from Csymbol

Let's take it further. What if humans one day discover the elixir of youth and live forever? What if we can choose not to die? Live eternally forever and ever? Like the vampire Lestat in Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire.

Will you then yearn to die? To end it all?

Will dying become your goal in life? Wouldn't that be ironic?



To me, I would love to live to a hundred. But maybe not more than a hundred. And definitely not forever. But it all depends.

If I am healthy and still mentally sharp and still able to enjoy sex at the ripe old age of hundred, why not? Haha! Although I would want to look as youthful as now. Not with all those wrinkles! Talk about vanity!

But if I am sick, cannot walk without a walking stick, or bedridden, is there any point in living to a hundred? Might as well die earlier, no?

But nowadays, you will be lucky to live to a hundred. Especially for those of us who stay in the cities. At least those who are living in kampongs or villages still have the chance. With all the stress and fast-paced city lifestyle, and the pollution and the type of food we eat daily, we are lucky if we make it past 60!

Humans' life span are getting shorter. I still remember people during the Biblical periods lived to a few hundred years. I wonder if there is any truth in that!

Although advancement in science and medicine had managed to prolong humans' lives, yet most of the prolonged years are lived in misery.

As for the prospect of living forever, I think I will be bored to death. Tell me what can you do when you are 6,000 years old! You would have visited every corners of the world! You would have tasted every single food there is to taste. You would have done all there is to do except maybe, killing yourself.


Image courtesy of Write Spirit

But hold on. We are meant to have eternal life. That's according to the Bible. But every religion does mention that we are eternal. We may pass on, but our souls continue to live. And according to Buddhism, we come back to Earth again and again and again until we can break out of that karmic cycle.

So will our souls be bored? Perhaps not. Because we seek to experience different things. We seek to create different things. In different lifetimes. In different parellel universes. We are after all, creators.

Perhaps that's why not many will reach Buddhahood. Not that they can't. They don't want to. They choose to come back to Earth and create a different experience so as to know who they really are.


Image courtesy of 100 Musical Footsteps

So perhaps living eternally in our same physical body is not such a good idea and it may be against the nature of things. We need to die so that we have the chance to change our experience.

But living to a hundred? That's OK provided we have not achieved what we have set out to do. Otherwise, why bother to live to a hundred?

FIRST COMMENTER

(70) Comments

  1. Anonymous

    I would like to live filled with purpose and meaning.

    June 17, 2009 at 8:19 AM
  2. Anonymous

    I meant life filled with purpose and meaning. Missed out one word :)

    June 17, 2009 at 8:20 AM
  3. jam said...

    It's Mei Teng again, duh... To me, if I have a clear mind and not senile, I dun mind to live forever on cause I will always be able to find new goals in life.

    June 17, 2009 at 8:42 AM
  4. nic

    foong foong... im happy with 100 year-old... if i can live until 6000 years later... my number of friends in facebook list will explode.... kakaka....

    June 17, 2009 at 10:43 AM
  5. lina said...

    Even though I'm scared of dying, I don't think I'd want to live that long esp if I'm burdening my family members.

    For Muslims too, dying doesn't mean the end of the road - there's still judgement day to come.

    June 17, 2009 at 10:47 AM
  6. bluedreamer27 said...

    oh man i thought i could be the fc hahaha this guys are so fast
    by the wya in regrads with this post
    no wants to die but no one wants to live that old (well maybe a few)
    but in my case A human lifespan was still base on God's Will
    Come what may and let it be
    if God wishes you to grow older than a hundred then be it,,,,God have purpose for that
    thanks for sharing this foongpc and thanks for voting

    June 17, 2009 at 11:07 AM
  7. foongpc said...

    mei teng, yes me too! : )

    jam, haha! Trying to be FC here? Not bad lah, you are 2nd! Are you sure after living 1 million years, you still have new goals? : )

    nic, I think 6000 years later, there will be no more Facebook ; )

    June 17, 2009 at 11:18 AM
  8. foongpc said...

    lina, are you scared of dying because of judgement day? Don't worry. I don't think we will ever be judged. Sorry if this goes against your Islamic beliefs, but that's my belief : )

    Yeah, no point living so long if we are a burden to our family members.

    June 17, 2009 at 11:20 AM
  9. foongpc said...

    bluedreamer27, haha! Good try! Better luck next time!

    Yeah I guess God has a purpose and God decides how long you live. But maybe, just maybe, it's not God who decide but it's you who chose when you want to go before you came here : )

    June 17, 2009 at 11:23 AM
  10. Nick Phillips (15/03/1967 - 04/11/2022) said...

    I wouldn't mind living to be a 100 :D

    June 17, 2009 at 11:23 AM
  11. foongpc said...

    nick phillips, yes and still be blogging at the ripe old age of 100 yes? : )

    June 17, 2009 at 11:25 AM
  12. ladyviral said...

    For how long we are alive or not.. in my opinion it doesn't matter. As long as we are healthy and live life to the fullest with no regrets.

    I don't mind living up to be 100 years old if I am healthy and still kicking. but if I am burdening family and all, I rather be gone with it.

    God have his plans for us, regardless what it is. There is a reason why He does what He does. :)

    June 17, 2009 at 11:30 AM
  13. foongpc said...

    ladyviral, yes I agree with you. As long as we live life to the fullest with no regrets, it does not matter how long we live : )

    June 17, 2009 at 11:47 AM
  14. Relax said...

    I recommend you to read The Blue Zone, where researchers find out how people can live beyond 100 in Sardinia, california, costa rica and Okinawa.

    I think it will answer some of your questions.

    June 17, 2009 at 12:02 PM
  15. iamthewitch said...

    That's a thought-provoking question. I think I wouldn't want to live forever too, because it will make me take life for granted. I would want to learn to cherish life, to know that nothing is forever, to be able to really appreciate people and things around me.

    June 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM
  16. HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

    As long as I am sane and around those I love I could live to a hundred but not much more. I would like to come back and try again to experience more but after a nice long rest.

    June 17, 2009 at 1:00 PM
  17. Merryn said...

    i wud like to live until i die; no matter what age. means i'll live my life to the fullest so no regrets! :D

    June 17, 2009 at 1:56 PM
  18. Tekkaus said...

    It's not about the quantity but more importantly the quality. If I could live a hundred years and spend the remaining 3 or 4 decades bed-ridden I would rather die. Life would be so unbearable. :/

    June 17, 2009 at 2:31 PM
  19. HappySurfer said...

    Would the soul be bored? You asked. I don't think so because the soul forgets everything about previous lives. No?

    People in biblical times purportedly lived to hundreds of years because those days, the years were much shorter - with less months.

    Here's a thought.. Wouldn't it be nice to end life in an orgasm? Eh? Be born old and die in ecstasy. In other words, reverse the cycle of life.

    It's wonderful to be living a long life to witness the many changes the world and life has to offer. Sex included. LOL!

    We are pretty lucky to be able to cross the Year 2000 mark and on to the 21st century. Cheers to that!

    June 17, 2009 at 2:33 PM
  20. Tekkaus said...

    Wow! Those in Bama are really healthy. I'll be grateful if I can live until 70. But I want to be disease free of course. I thing it's because of a combination of factors.

    Food and lifestyle is really important. Since they are leaving in a peaceful place where pollution is little plus there's nothing to worry about...they generally will feel more relax. :D

    June 17, 2009 at 2:33 PM
  21. Tekkaus said...

    Then again if I could live until 80 years old or 100 year old...I wanna grow old with my beloved wife. I don't want to live alone. And I want to have a big family where I will have lots of children and grandchildren running around me. While we enjoy our every moment together.

    Aww....how I wish this could happen. :D

    June 17, 2009 at 2:35 PM
  22. .:: Ant ::. said...

    But I do not wanna live till 100. I want to die fabulously agile, not old and wrinkled, and a burden to others, especially if I've to be bed-ridden.

    +Ant+

    June 17, 2009 at 2:48 PM
  23. Che-Cheh said...

    I actually think the mind is the main factor in determining our state of being. So all I can say is live the life we want right now, right this moment. And don't forget to SMILE. :)

    June 17, 2009 at 2:57 PM
  24. Unseen India Tours said...

    What i feel is this is because of the food they eat..As we saw in movie Anacondas--hunt for blood.They eat a particular flower and because of them their dead cells even become alive and gives them long life..May be..Great..Also I Have Started My Own Website And Would Like You To Have A Look At It.I Would Love To Have Your Comments On That Also.Unseen Rajasthan

    June 17, 2009 at 3:13 PM
  25. Pete said...

    Don't mind living that old as long as I am healthy and be able to eat whatever I want to! Cheers!

    June 17, 2009 at 3:53 PM
  26. Bengbeng said...

    I only want to live as long as I am able to fend for myself. I wouldnt want to b a burden on anybody in my old age. I will just find a way to fade away without clinging on stubbornly to life when my body wears out. no kidding here

    June 17, 2009 at 3:56 PM
  27. A Common Singaporean said...

    Foong, this is a very interesting and thought provoking post.

    Here's my preference:

    1) I want to live to 100 and die after that.

    2) Although Buddhism mentioned reincarnation after one's life. We have no idea what we were in the past life. I want to reincarnate and know what I did in my previous life so that I can choose to do something different in another life. I want to be aware. I want to experience life again, in another perspective.

    3) My 3rd reincarnation should be my last. 3 is enough. This time I know it. I want to choose very wisely my route in the 3rd attempt, because after this attempt I do not to know where I am heading after death, it should be in god's hand.

    Hows that?

    June 17, 2009 at 5:31 PM
  28. molly said...

    I remember once a preacher came and asked me whether I want to live forever. The first thing came to my mind was I will look so terrible, so lonely and a big trouble to the family members, so my immediate reply to hime was a 'no' and is still a 'no'. :):)

    June 17, 2009 at 5:32 PM
  29. eastcoastlife said...

    I have no wish to live too old. I would like to die in my sleep.

    June 17, 2009 at 6:32 PM
  30. eastcoastlife said...

    Imagine watching your ageing organs shut down slowly one by one..... and having to take so many different types of medicine.

    June 17, 2009 at 6:34 PM
  31. LimPek said...

    if live forever, for sure will become billionaire d or more than that...hahaha

    June 17, 2009 at 8:12 PM
  32. betchai said...

    oh, i don't think i want to live 100 and beyond, call me lazy, but i think i don't want to grow really really old. like mei, i just simply want to live my life purposely and with meaning, that anytime, i am ready to go, but if fate calls me to live over a hundred, i will take it, i always believe there is a better purpose fr everything that happens.

    June 17, 2009 at 9:03 PM
  33. bluedreamer27 said...

    oh yeah i agree with that my friend
    a proper and healthy living may result to a long life

    June 17, 2009 at 9:13 PM
  34. annant said...

    i would like to live that looong only if i have my loved ones around me. no point having that long life in lonesome :(

    June 17, 2009 at 10:44 PM
  35. Perky said...

    If I get to maintain my young body and get to live forever, I don't mind! :)

    Why? Well, there's just so much to do in life... so many things to learn, so many cultures to experience, so many places to explore. All this is impossible to do in one lifetime.

    June 17, 2009 at 10:52 PM
  36. [SK] said...

    don't think i would want an eternal life, and if i could live longer wish that to be healthy and happy always.. :)

    June 17, 2009 at 11:05 PM
  37. foongpc said...

    relax, thanks for your recommendation! : )

    iamthewitch, hmmm, that's a really good reason not to live forever! You got me thinking, thanks! : )

    health nut wannabee mom, haha! I hope you'll get your long rest before returning! : )

    June 17, 2009 at 11:44 PM
  38. foongpc said...

    merryn, yes live life to the fullest! : )

    tekkaus, true. Quality definitely more important than quality.

    June 17, 2009 at 11:52 PM
  39. foongpc said...

    happysurfer, I think you are right. The soul does not forget but once it enters the physical realm, it will forget about past lives. So the soul will not be bored.

    The years were shorter during Biblical times? I didn't know that!

    Born old and die young? Like Benjamin Button? Yes, that would be interesting. How nice if we can actually get healthier and stronger as the years progress instead of sicker and weaker like the way things are now.

    Actually if we can maintain our youth and still look young and are healthy when we are 200 or 300 years old, I really don't mind living that long to see the changes in the world! : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:12 AM
  40. foongpc said...

    tekkaus, yeah, those people living in Bama are free from stress and live simple lives. I believe that's the main reason they live long lives.

    Ooh! So you want to have a BIG family with lots of children and probably grandchildren! Well, nobody wants to be lonely. I hope you will get your wish! : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:15 AM
  41. foongpc said...

    anton, yes I think I want that too. I also don't want to be a burden to others : )

    che-cheh, you are right too. Live in the moment yes? And not too bothered about how long we will live : )

    unseen rajasthan, yes food is another important factor in longevity : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:19 AM
  42. foongpc said...

    pete, haha! Most important you are healthy and can still enjoy any food you want! It would be great if we can do that when we reach 100 years old! : )

    bengbeng, I agree with you. I also don't want to be a burden to others. If bedridden or sick, no point living to a hundred! : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:23 AM
  43. foongpc said...

    a common singaporean, this is what I personally believe. I believe that when we die, we will get to know all our past lives, every one of them. And so before we return back to the physical world, we can choose what we want to experience including which timeline we want.

    But once our souls enter the physical realm, we will forget what happened to us in our past lives because if we remember, that would spoil the experience for us.

    Your 3rd attempt? LOL! I may be wrong but I believe this is probably your 1000th reincarnation, not counting all those parellel universes : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:30 AM
  44. foongpc said...

    molly, haha! But people are yearning for eternal lives! What if you can still be young and healthy at 5,000 years old? Would you still not want to live forever? : )

    eastcoastlife, dying in sleep is indeed the best way to die! Yes old and sick - that's really not a good way to live! : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:36 AM
  45. foongpc said...

    lim pek, why for sure will become billionaire? Doesn't dying give you better chances to come back a billionaire?

    betchai, yes live life with meaning and purpose. Then we would have lived fulfilling lives!

    bluedreamer27, live healthily does give you a better chance to live happily till 100 : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:41 AM
  46. foongpc said...

    annant, I guess no one want to be lonely. If you can live forever and see everyone - your family members, your friends, their next generation and the next all die while you still survive - not a very good feeling yes? Unless everyone also live forever. But won't life becomes boring after a few thousand years?

    June 18, 2009 at 12:43 AM
  47. foongpc said...

    perky, yes if we can maintain a healthy body it's great to live long. I guess if you live forever, you would be able to do all the things you want to do and go to all the places you want to go. After that, what?

    Maybe that's why we cannot live forever. But I also suspect it's because we actually yearn to go "home". But once we reach "home" we will yearn to re-create ourselves and that's why we will go right back for a different experience. Again and again. Forever and ever.

    June 18, 2009 at 12:48 AM
  48. foongpc said...

    SK, yes I guess we all want that. Not to live forever, but to live healthily and happily : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:50 AM
  49. Neo said...

    I like what you say... can still enjoy sex even when you are 6000 years old! Hahaha... maybe need a few bottles of the blue pills. :)

    June 18, 2009 at 1:04 AM
  50. Ayie said...

    A life with my husband, kids and family is a time worth living. I have no quest for eternal life, i just want us to be happy and healthy.

    June 18, 2009 at 2:11 AM
  51. Anonymous

    i would love to live as long as i can..
    but 100?
    hmm.. perhaps i'll be a burden to my kids that time.. or maybe to my grandkids.. lol =D

    June 18, 2009 at 2:15 AM
  52. Anonymous

    if im satisfied with what i've done in life.. i done mind "leaving".. as long as its the right time..

    perhaps i'd wanna live till the age for 80++
    but it's all in god's hand.. =)

    June 18, 2009 at 2:17 AM
  53. Anonymous

    of coz it's essential to live healthily, which is one thing im not doing at the moment.. haha..

    i simply eat, i sleep very late (or early in the morning).. i rarely exercise.. probably exercising my fingers as i do my programming most of the time.. lol..

    nevertheless, im sure everyone wanna live long and prosperous (sounds like CNY greeting huh? lol) =D

    June 18, 2009 at 2:19 AM
  54. A Common Singaporean said...

    Wow Foong, 1000th!!

    June 18, 2009 at 10:54 AM
  55. foongpc said...

    neo, or maybe not cos by the time you are 6000 years old, the world is much more advanced and the blue pills are history! : )

    ayie, well said! Quality life is better than quantity : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM
  56. foongpc said...

    kenwooi, I think I'm like you. No point living to 100 if bedridden and a burden to family members. And also don't mind leaving if it's the right time.

    You know you are not living healthily - that's good, but aren't you doing anything about it? You don't want to be a burden to others before you are 100, do you? : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:14 PM
  57. foongpc said...

    a common singaporean, haha! Who knows? : )

    June 18, 2009 at 12:15 PM
  58. Jonzz said...

    100 years old... hmm.. dowan la... boring. HAHAHAHA

    of course if can stay eternally fit and young and mentally still okay, (and got kakis to accompany you) can consider.

    June 18, 2009 at 1:49 PM
  59. eiling lim said...

    I don't want to live till 100 but I'll die happy if all my dreams have been fulfilled and that I lead a comfortable old age.

    June 18, 2009 at 1:53 PM
  60. Faisal Admar said...

    if i can choose, i'd choose immortality :)

    life is too short... right?

    June 18, 2009 at 2:47 PM
  61. Mariuca said...

    Hey Foong! Dropping ec and clicking adgi here today!

    June 18, 2009 at 5:55 PM
  62. Rad Sujanto said...

    before all if I can't be the first commenter maybe I should be awarded to be the last commenter :D

    anyway, just curious, what inspired you to talk about eternity or death? you're not that stressed out that you almost thought of killing yourself, are you? :p

    Live long everyone!

    June 18, 2009 at 9:55 PM
  63. vialentino said...

    i will be happy if can reach 100 ... wonder how will my look looks like?

    bro , support and leave a comment in my new post for the contest...thanks.

    June 19, 2009 at 12:33 AM
  64. Monica said...

    if I can still be young and healthy at that age, I wouldn't mind! :D

    June 19, 2009 at 6:54 AM
  65. Willie a.k.a Reptoz said...

    This is an interesting topic but a hard one too. So far, i keep to what the bible says

    "Dying is a gain, living is for Jesus"

    p/s : Nice topic.

    June 19, 2009 at 9:28 AM
  66. JL said...

    I'll digress a bit. Well imagine if this blog post had 1000 comments. Or the comments never stop coming in XD

    June 19, 2009 at 2:25 PM
  67. foongpc said...

    jonzz, don't want long life? : )

    eiling, I guess everyone wants that! : )

    faisal admar, immortality can be depressing! Better to come back again next life : )

    June 20, 2009 at 5:22 PM
  68. foongpc said...

    mariuca, thanks for dropping by! : )

    rad, last commenter also you can't get! Haha! What inspired me to talk about eternity and death? It's the video about the centenarians in China. Did you watch it?

    vialentino, well you will look old. Haha! OK, will go and have a look at the contest : )

    June 20, 2009 at 5:26 PM
  69. foongpc said...

    monica, yeah, me too : )

    willie, thanks for the quote and thanks for dropping by! : )

    JL, wow! That would be crazy! Imagine the comments still coming in long after I'm gone! Haha!

    June 20, 2009 at 5:29 PM
  70. Caroline said...

    for me, if given chance to live longer, y not? but i wouldnt want to live just by myself without my families and friends with me. :)

    March 28, 2010 at 4:06 PM