It's a lovely irony :Gertrude Baines,114,the world's oldest person,lives in Los Angeles ,the world most youth-obsessed city .It's like finding a vintage Ferrari in a parking lot full of Yugos. During the 20th century ,we added almost three decades to the average human life expectancy ,what are we doing with these extra years? Are we making good use of them ,or just soliloquizing about other,better times or the fascinating intrcacies of our various maladies? In the example of Gertrude Baines ,the answer is the former. Baines lived independently until she broke her hip at age 107.This daughter of former slaves-in her lifetime ,she has seen women with the right to vote and blacks reclaim it-cast her ballot for President Barack Obama. She makes it clear ,she bears no regrets about her life and holds no secret of longevity .She paints a portrait of old age whose hallmarks are wit and acceptance .I salute her . It's commonly said - but I believe it anyway - that old folks are wise .Indeed ,for many over the age of 70,old age is ,outside of medical maladies ,a time of self-reflect ;for others ,it may be a product of having thrown off societal cinstraints ,or of being more conscious of their diminished time on the planet . Our cultural landscape is currently graced with a group of creative people over 70 who critic say aredoing some of the best work of their careers-writers Philip Roth and Joan Didion ,sculptor Louise Bourgeois and composer Zlliott Cater. It would be one singel that perhaps practice does make perfect. It's even possible to follow this tendency toward self-mastery all the way to the end of life. If we look at various people's laet words , it's fascinating how inimitable and self-describing so many of them are . Oscar Wilde died in a flophouse with the quip "Either that wallpaper goes or I do"- a statement so wildean it's almost parody. Henrik Ibsen spent his career scandalizing the victorians , on his deathbed ,when his nurse remariced that he was looking better ,Ibsen replied,"on the contrary",and then died. |