Rant #2,211: Years May Come, Years May Go

Yes, I did oversleep today, and I know that I was enwrapped in a couple of dreams, only one of which I remember anything about.

I dreamed about Beaver Cleaver of "Leave It To Beaver." I don't remember the gist of the dream, but all his friends were holding empty drinking glasses and were all standing on a step of a house, I assume it was a house at least.

He came out of the house, the drinking glasses were getting filled, and he filed into a waiting car with one or two friends.

He was whisked away.

That is all that I remember, so interpret that dream as you like, because I have no clue what it can mean related to me, my family and my life.

Anyway, with all the tributes pouring into the late Senator John McCain, this one, in particular, went a little under the radar, and I wanted to highlight it today.

I noticed it in his obituary. McCain was survived by his wife, his children from his two marriages, several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

But he was also survived by his mother.

I did a double take when I read that his mom was still alive. It was not out of the realm of possibility that she could be alive, but with the senator being just short of 82 years old when he died the other day, I wondered how old his mom is.

She is 106 years old.

Good for her! And may she have many more years of vitality!

She was even quoted as saying something to the tune of "It is difficult to bury a child," so she remains in a good state of mind, and I applaud her for that.

And living to 100 years of age or older is still not the norm, but it is something that more and more Americans are able to do.

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 72,197 Americans aged 100 or older in 2014. This is an increase of 44 percent from 2000, when there were just over 50,000 centenarians.

Why are people living longer, and in particular, why are Americans living longer?

Remember, we are the people of over consumption--overall, we overeat, overdrink, oversmoke, and overdue everything, yet thousands of us are living into triple figures, including McCain's mom.

Scientists are perplexed, because each and every centenarian is different.

You have some who watch themselves, watch what they eat, watch what they imbibe, watch everything.

Then you have others who smoke like chimneys, like their scotch, and really don't live what we would characterize as healthy lifestyles.

Some people just have good lifelines for longevity. I guess the palm readers might be onto something; some people have long life lines, others simply don't.

Not that I am a scientist, but I believe that it has to do with heredity. Some families simply have people who reach a real old age no matter what they do to stop that from happening.

The topic of age is paramount in my family. My parents are both in their mid-to-late 80s, with my mom a few months older than my father, 87 to 86.

I consider myself darn lucky to still have my parents with me, and they are as vibrant as ever--they run around like they are in their 20s and 30s.

My father in law is the same age, so I have to say that my son has some good life lines in him--hopefully my wife and I, both 61, can continue that going well into the future.

Now, not everyone in our families lived to ripe old ages. My mother in law passed away right after my wife and I were married, and she was in her 50s.

My grandparents--who all lived at least into their mid to late 80s, although we have no idea really how old my father's parents were, since there were either no or very scant records of their births in Eastern Europe, so they both could have been in their 90s--all lived to ripe old ages--

Except my mother's father, who smoked his way into an early grave. He was in his early 70s, and to this day, I miss him greatly.

Anyway, many, many years ago, at some type of local fair, I actually gave in and went to a fortune teller. She told me that I had a long life line--looking at the palm of my hand, my life line goes into my wrist--and said I would live a long life.

Yup, and I have a nice bridge to sell you if you are interested.

But the funny thing is that before she looked at my palm, she told me that three of my four grandparents lived long lives--and that they were still alive, which they were at the time.

Hmmm ...

I would love to live to at least 100 years old, and not just me, if I live to 100 years old, then my wife must accompany me on that path--and we would fit the profile.

She watches herself like a hawk, and you would never know that this was a 61 year old woman. She looks like she is in her 40s.

Me, I don't watch myself too much, and I could stand to lose a few pounds.

But again, both profiles fit the possible profiles of those who hit and go past the 100 year mark.

So here's to 2057--when I will be 100 years old, and my wife, who is about five months older than me, will be on the way to 101--a silly millemeter longer.

Onward and upward to 100!