114 Years

What in the world would it be like to live during three different centuries? Walter Breuning, the world's oldest man until he passed away today, lived from 1897 till 2011. Most people who know me know that I have a soft spot for old people. Old people and stories. I could listen to people's stories about "the olden days" for hours. My great-aunt Ethel Young is my favorite story teller in the world. I sincerely hope that when I'm old a.) I can remember lots of good stories and b.) people will come visit me and just sit and listen to my wisdom (because I'm going to have lots of it) and funny anecdotes. When reading this article  I also learned that there is one person older than Walter, and her name is Besse and she was born 26 days before him. It is now my life goal to find and interview her. Some of the most interesting things in Walter's interview were not only his tips for living a long life, but also all of the things he had seen throughout his life time and how he felt about it. 
Some of my favorite tidbits: 

Here's the world's oldest man's secret to a long life:

•  Embrace change, even when the change slaps you in the face. ("Every change is good.")
•  Eat two meals a day ("That's all you need.")
• Work as long as you can ("That money's going to come in handy.")
•  Help others ("The more you do for others, the better shape you're in.")
• Then there's the hardest part. It's a lesson Breuning said he learned from his grandfather: Accept death. 

"We're going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you're born to die," he said.

About George W. Bush: "He got us into war. We can't get out of war now," he said. "I voted for him. But that's about all. His father was a pretty good president, not too bad. The kid had too much power. He got himself wrapped up and that's it." 

Times are a changin': "I think every change that we've ever made, ever since I was a child – 100 years – every change has been good for the people," Breuning said. "My God, we used to have to write with pen and ink, you know, (for) everything. When the machines came, it just made life so much easier."

How precious is this? Breuning would spent his days in an armchair outside the Bundtrock's office in a dark suit and tie, sitting near a framed Guinness certificate proclaiming him the world's oldest man. 

On war: "War never cured anything. Look at the North and South right today. They're still fighting over the damn war. They'll never get over that," he said. 

On life: "Everybody says your mind is the most important thing about your body. Your mind and your body. You keep both busy, and by God you'll be here a long time," he said. 

On dieting: "How many people in this country say that they can't take the weight off?" he said. "I tell these people, I says, 'Get on a diet and stay on it. You'll find that you're in much better shape, feel good.'"

Walter, you lived a really long time. Longer than I think I want to live. But I wish I had gotten to sit with you by your Guinness certificate and hear all of your stories.