End of an Era

End of an Era

Susannah Mushatt Jones was born in July of 1899 and had the distinction of being the oldest living person. She passed away today at the age of 116 years old. Technically, she lived in three different centuries, through two world wars and the administrations of 20 presidents. She was one of 11 children and her parents and grandparents were slaves and crop pickers. She attended a special school for black girls and graduated from high school in 1922, moved to New York to work as a nanny and helped start a scholarship fund for young African-American women. She remained active through her lifetime and was a member of the tenant patrol for her nursing home until she was 106 when she resigned to give younger people an opportunity. Needless to say, she had lived through more history and anyone else in the world.

Some of the more noteworthy items included the facts that she lived
- At the start of the second Boer War in South Africa
- The beginning of the war between the US & Philippines
- At the time aspirin was invented
- Born before the death of Queen Victoria in Britain
- Born before Marconi send the first ever wireless transmission
- Born before the Wright Brothers flew the first aircraft

She attributed her long lifespan the fact she got lots of sleep, did not smoke or drink but loved bacon eating four strips of bacon with scrambled eggs every day. She did have a few luxuries, one being a love of high-end lace lingerie and once told the nurses during a medical check-up “you can never get too old to wear fancy stuff”.

One can only sit back and marvel at such a person as we contemplate our own mortality. I for one, now being an elder orphan, certainly do not wish to live so long. I watched and older aunt live through the passing of all of her brothers, friends, and most her own age. She often complained about being the “last survivor” of her generation and while that was certainly not true, it was true enough for her.

Occasionally I feel a bit depressed when I think about just how many of our children have been raised by television, computer games, and cell phones and don’t really have close, meaningful relationships with their so called friends. Technology is truly wonderful, but it has it’s down side also and the diminishing relationships with other human beings is most certainly one of the worst.

So when such an occasion as the celebration of life for a lady like Susannah comes about, we should all take pause and reflect on our own lives; perhaps to take a look at what it is and what we can now do to improve upon it for the future. As for me, I’m spending the day going through my phone book and calling up as many old friends as I can find just to chat and let them know I am thinking about them.