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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Apparently I’m Going to Die Someday

A best friend called me today. She wanted my opinion. Should she do some crazy thing that involved this?

And this?

Her: It’s the last day to sign up (see link HERE). I mean, I only have so many weekends a year to myself. Should I do something like this when you and I could be philandering in Vegas instead? Today is the last day to sign up. Did I tell you I’m REALLY afraid of heights?

Me: Are you really asking my opinion?

Her: Yes.

Me: You do know who you are talking to, right?

Her: Uh, what does that mean?

Me: It means, sign your ass up. What are you waiting for? It’s not like you’re going to die or lose a limb or anything (hopefully). You might crap your pants out of fear or pass out, but so what?

Someone wise once said the only thing to fear is fear itself soiling yourself in front of others.

On Sunday when I didn’t especially feel like racing (the last six weekends had been consumed by one kind of race or another), I asked myself, “Why? Really. Why do you love races? It’s expensive. Time consuming. You have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn.” Sure, there is all the stuff about wanting to be in shape, to remain healthy as a I get older, blah, blah, blah. But, what came to mind did not have much to do with that. What came to me was this:

It makes me feel alive

Earlier on in life there were a lot of things that made me feel alive. Probably because the world felt full of possibility. There were graduations, marriages, pregnancies, new jobs, and geographical moves. There were budding relationships and cross country travels. There were many firsts like the first time I made coffee in my own apartment, the first time I drove by myself to the beach, the first time I did a Jello shot and kissed my husband-to-be, the first time I saw this (yes, I did save it):

IMAG1581

Believe me, this isn’t to say that I don’t have a lot of experiences in my life right now that make me feel alive – celebrating 18 years with Ken in two weeks, having my son drive me around town (I am just glad to be alive when we get home), talking to my daughter about puberty (yeah, hon, sorry. If you follow in my footsteps you could be waiting a long time for any sign of “growth” if you know what I mean). Truly, I recognize how great my life is and all of the gifts contained within it.

But…I still crave those endorphins, the quickened heart rate, the anticipation of what will happen, the urge to push myself harder than before. For me – this comes with racing and other adrenaline popping activities (Skydiving anyone? Don’t think I’ll do that one again).

There are countless ways to feel alive and renewed. Some find it in church. Others discover it after climbing to the top of a 14,000 foot peak. Still others get it from creating the perfect chicken dish with just the right blend of seasonings or reading the last page of that mystery that kept them up three nights in a row. It doesn’t matter what it is – it matters that we find what it is. Yet, finding what “it” is sometimes takes courage, discomfort, time and risk taking.

My daughter asked me the other day why they call it a “bucket list.” I told her her because it was a list of things you want to do before you “kick the bucket.” She thought that was sad and grim, but that’s mostly because she’s 12 and she still has that feeling of invincibility and living forever.

On that note, our financial planner asked me today what our life expectancy was. No one has ever asked me that before. I honestly had no clue, so I did a life expectancy calculator test.

The results?

image

I will supposedly live 86.19 years (factoring in hereditary illnesses, medical history and lifestyle patterns).  That means I have exactly 40.19 more years of BEING alive – existing . But it is my choice if I have 40 more years of FEELING alive. 

How long might YOU live to be? (Life Expectancy Calculator HERE)

What’s one thing on your Kick The Bucket List (KTBL)? Running a marathon in another country. Visiting India. Meeting my grandchildren.

SUAR

41 comments:

  1. Wow, I'm going to live a stinkin' long time:

    Life Expectancy: 94.41 years
    Lower Quartile: 87.92 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 96.34 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 103.77 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)


    25% chance I'll live more than 103.77 years??

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  2. Life Expectancy Results

    Life Expectancy: 86.43 years
    Lower Quartile: 79.84 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 88.59 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 95.27 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

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  3. Life Expectancy: 94.60 years
    Lower Quartile: 88.16 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 96.63 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 104.12 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

    Bucket List - Retire on a beach & open a coffee/drink bar

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  4. Thank you for this post. Im 50 this year and am in a panic that life is passing me by. My bucket list consists of running destination races. i want my running to take me places. Also, i want my own senior/medical needs dog rescue.

    Life Expectancy: 91.09 years
    Lower Quartile: 84.41 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 92.79 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 99.70 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

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    Replies
    1. Heidi, it just gets better. I did IMC at 52.

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  5. My bucket list: run 15 miles on my 15th birthday :)

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  6. I'm going to do this test. I do hate thinking half my life is over and knowing how much time I've wasted

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  7. 91 ! or 85. Wow great post. I made a bucket list and have quite a bit of living to do. What fun!

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  8. GREAT post! For me, only having done 5K's thus far, a 1/2 marathon is on my bucket list. Visiting Turks & Caicos again. Seeing my 12 year old son grow into a responsible, loving adult male and hopefully having grandchildren one day...

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  9. Well that was fun! lol.. thanks for sharing!

    Life Expectancy: 87.73 years
    Lower Quartile: 81.19 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 90.25 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 97.16 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

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  10. This is a great test. I wonder how long your life expectancy is if you don't know what state you live in? LOL.

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  11. Holy crap! I'm gonna be an OOOOLLLDDD lady. Better warn my kids. :) And btw, I plan on being an AWESOME old lady. Still running, still sassy, still squeezing every last little bit out of life.

    Life Expectancy: 94.89 years
    Lower Quartile: 88.52 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 97.01 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 104.54 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

    Bucket list: Swim with dolphins, zip-line, white water rafting, visit Italy.

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  12. Thank you so much for this post! You put in words exactly what I have been feeling since I started running. A few months ago I was lying in bed and almost started hyperventilating when It hit me that I REALLY was going to die. Of course, I knew this but it's easy to ignore when you are younger. It's not that I'm afraid of dying - but until then, I want to LIVE - not just bide time. I've spent far too much of my life just biding time....

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  13. Love this post! Thanks for inspiring me to do more things that make me FEEL alive! I don't have a bucket list, but maybe now I should make one. :)

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  14. Life Expectancy Results

    Life Expectancy: 89.79 years
    Lower Quartile: 81.95 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 90.81 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 98.66 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

    Bucket List. Run a marathon. Maybe next year.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Life Expectancy: 92.86 years
    Lower Quartile: 86.53 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 95.23 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 102.61 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

    Woo 92 years old. I don't know if I want to live that long. lol.
    Bucket list- Do an Iron man. One day it will happen with lots of training!

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  16. Apparently I'll live to 92! Plenty of time to tick these bad boys from my bucket list:

    - have a child, and then one more
    - meet my friend in perth somewhere random in the world and run a race together
    - move back to australia
    - successfully bake a cake.... and then another (i'm on attempt number 5 with no success yet)
    - see more of Asia
    - do something really good, not just give money to charity (i don't know what yet. adopt a child? continue volunteering until i'm 92?)
    - dye the tips of my hair hot pink
    - sky dive
    - place in a race
    - place in a pole dancing competition

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  17. At this point in my life with 4 year-old twins I have to take it one day at a time...kind of like a recovering alcoholic! My bucket list is simply to survive until the boys are in school full-time. I think I can do it...

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  18. I love this post. That rock stuff looks so cool. And as someone who recently soiled herself in front of others, I really appreciate your sentiments on fear.

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  19. 90.85 - interesting. Not sure I believe it, but oh well. =)

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  20. Interesting the stuff that can impact your life expectancy. Just the questions give pause to how I live my life. Basic rule: Keep moving.

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  21. Life Expectancy Results

    Life Expectancy: 94.43 years
    Lower Quartile: 87.88 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 96.22 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 103.59 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow! 94.89 years! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, my grandmother is almost 93 (she starts saying she's "almost" the day after her birthday) and going strong!

    This is exactly the kind of post I needed today. I like feeling that anticipation of something new-to-me. At my first half marathon last month, the National Anthem was sung...for me (and all of the other runners, but definitely ME). That's the first time in my entire life. I can't even explain that feeling, I just know that I want it to happen again. And again.

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  23. I'd like to hit every continent. I'm getting there.
    I also secretly want to run more than a 10k. Maybe even a half. Any chance I can do it without any pain? No? Forget it then. :)

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  24. my numbers: Life expectancy 93.33 Lower 86.59 Median 94.73
    Upper 101.79 I'm happy with that! my goal is to live to 100!

    My bucket list favorites are to skydive from an airplane, and I'd also like to hike from one end of New Zealand to the other.

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  25. Life Expectancy Results
    Life Expectancy: 93.81 years
    Lower Quartile: 87.05 years (75% chance you will live longer than this)
    Median Lifetime: 95.17 years (50% chance you will live longer than this)
    Upper Quartile: 102.29 years (25% chance you will live longer than this)

    Wow--that means I likely have 30+ more years to scratch off things on my bucket list. I need to make mine longer! One is definitely running a full marathon (once I get fast enough to not take 6+ hours to complete it).

    ReplyDelete
  26. My # was 91.49

    ...my bucket list mostly consists of places that I would like to visit

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  27. Wow I think the test is more suited for your country as I got 40 years old.. 14 years to go for me that sounds pretty bad!!

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  28. 97 Holy Cow! Bucket list:
    Run Boston (finally qualified in October after 4 tries, 2014 here I come!)
    Bike thru Italy
    Run an ultra
    Watch the Tour from top of Alp de Huez
    Show my boys Yosemite, Grand Tetons and Yellowstone

    ReplyDelete
  29. I dont drink, smoke, or have any chronic illnesses or first degree relatives with illness. I exercise daily and eat well. I've been married for 23 years. I'm 43 and it said my life expectancy is 49. What? Please tell me I did something wrong...

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    Replies
    1. OK that cannot be right. I drink regularly and said so - and I'm apparently living until 86 - did you report doing a lot of meth or something?

      Delete
    2. Oh yeah...the meth. I forgot about all that meth. Ha Ha! I tried the shorter version and it gave me 89 years. Yay! Went back and did the shorter version and you guessed it....gonna die at 49. Man, I've got a lot of living to do in 6 short years... :(

      Delete
    3. Seriously, me too! Said 44 for me. I am 41 live a totally healthy life and this just freaked me out!

      Delete
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  31. Dang, I don't really want to live till 94. I'll outlive all the good men! I better start taking up some bad habits (or become a cougar).

    ReplyDelete
  32. More travel - so much of the world I haven't yet seen!

    ReplyDelete
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  34. Well my expectancy is 97. I guess I should start saving up for Botox now.

    As for my bucket list, I want to participate in a flash mob and hike the Appalachian Trail among others.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete