It Was Kind of Short

Recently, I watched what I thought was an enlightening video. It only lasted about ninety seconds. That is a very short time.

However, the title for this article did not come from the fact that the video was short. It came from a quote in the video.

The video showed part of a birthday celebration. You may have never heard of the person whose birthday was being celebrated. Her name was Misao Okawa. I am using the past tense because she passed from this life on April 1^st of this year. Prior to her passing, she was recognized as the world’s oldest living person. 

The video I watched was recorded last year as she celebrated her 116^th birthday (she lived to the age of 117 before her passing). She was shown eating cake and said (in the English subtitles), “It’s good.” 

As flowers were presented to her, she was informed or reminded that she had lived 116 years. She was asked if that seemed long or short.

Her answer was the title to this article:

“It was kind of short.”

Really? 

Over a century of life seems kind of short? Is it really true that somebody who was born in the 1800’s and lived until the middle of the second decade of the 21^st century can see her life as “kind of short?”

I have no idea about the ages of those who will be reading these words. I have no idea about how many years you can recall. I do know about the one who is typing these words. The years and decades have seemingly flown by. They seem to fly by faster every day.

It may be that this lady who passed away recently in Japan left us a reminder that will outlive her.  In an “inspired reminder,” we read these words:

…What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes (James 4:14, ESV).

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12, KJV).

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