Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.

You managed to experience how it is being one century old. I am writing this in the third person. WordPress “convinced” me to do so. They suggested writing to myself. I admitted it is difficult to write to my future self. So I “advised” myself to write to “someone” who will be me in a few decades.

When I think about the century you passed, my thoughts go to the concept of time. You lived one century, but did you manage to find out what the time is? Where did it come from? Did the time existed before the world, or world made time?

And then I was thinking about the butterfly. The average lifespan for the majority of species, as per our measurements, is just two to four weeks. So simple butterfly comes to this earth one day. It manages to do many valuable things for the butterfly community. This includes laying eggs. Then, it departs from the world a couple of weeks later. It is most probably satisfied with the deeds left behind.

So, the question about time and deeds arise. I was thinking about what you might consider, my dear old mourning one. To consider not the century, but the quality of life you lived. To think about the deeds you left behind. About the beliefs and ideas you invented or followed. About help in any way that you provided to human species progress and survival. About compassion you had and about love you felt and showed and shared. About kids you raised. About the first smile of your daughter and sons you saw and quietly stored it in your mind for keeping forever.

Forever?

There is forever my dear 100 year old one. Forever is not about time or one century of life. Forever is about deeds you leave behind. Forever is the love you felt and shared. Forever is the smile you received from people unknown to you. Forever are the moments passed with your family and kids, with your wife, and if you did not manage for the marriage to survive with your new partner. What is the point?

Ooooooh my dear Century old still curious one.

The point is to share!

The point is to experience small things like the one unknown driver whom you allowed  to pass in front of your car. He then overwhelmingly smiled and showed the heart with his hands to say thank you. Or the expression of eyes of all those you made happier, even just for the moment. Or anything that made others better and you also.

So my dear 100 years Centurion!

It is remarkable that you are there at one Century, as per our time machine. If that combines with the deeds you left as seeds behind you, you will become immortal, no matter how old you will be.

Now, for the end, what does it mean to be immortal?

Some would say that it is when you stay in the minds of other people for centuries. Some can say something else.

But me, I can say to you, who will be me when the time as we count comes, that to be immortal is when you realize that it is the time to go!

One man, the real story, the one who, as a youngster, served breakfast to Al Capone in Lexington Hotel Chicago, who lived 103 years before he died, called his nephew and announced to him: “George I had enough! I am ready to go!”

He passed away two days after. That is per our way of measuring time.

So, my dear Centurion, when you feel that you had enough here on this thing we call Earth, and you are ready to go, is that time as we know it, when you will certainly achieve eternity and become immortal. 

Will that be now, or in a couple of decades, or after the century of what we call life, does not matter. It matters to live life like this – First, we provide for others like our family and loved ones. Then we provide to the neighborhood, village, city, and country we live in. Then what is left is for us and dear all, that will make us happy!

And never ever forget to wink to those who care and love you! They will understand, smile, and wink back to you!

That’s called eternal happiness!

See you soon, my dear Centurion!

In the meantime maybe we could have a cup of coffee?

March 10, 2025

Darko Richard Lancelot

Philosophyofgoodnews.com

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