There’s an enormous amount of interest in prolonging the span of human life and, with the recent developments in medical science, we might be the first generation to live beyond 125 years. Are you surprised? Of course, we already know about the challenges of ageing populations, but there will be many, far-reaching repercussions for society when we introduce these proposed changes to our longevity. We’re already investing in artificial organs that could replace failing parts of the body. But what’s the real purpose of extending our lives beyond the limits imposed by Nature? How many years constitute a long life today? Some would say that measuring our lives in terms of lifespan isn’t the best way to evaluate how we justify our time on Earth. Rather than counting the number of our years, it would be better to ask ourselves how we are making the best use of the time already allotted to us. Longevity, perhaps, should be balanced by an emphasis on the quality of those extra years, decades or centuries.

Apart from our natural fear of death and the desire to prolong our existence, what value can we derive from living for five hundred years? Some would say that the purest description of Hell would be eternal life. Can you imagine the crushing boredom and soul-destroying predictability of living forever? Whilst granting unparalleled longevity to our bodies, how would our minds cope with the challenge of living for centuries? We already struggle with boredom and our addiction to social media, rarely making time to bring our errant minds into a clearer, focused state of natural calm. Without an appropriate shift in the way we apply our mental and emotional energy, we run the risk of increasing our stress and internal imbalances as we seek new ways to stave off the inevitable ennui of repeating the same patterns of thought and feeling for centuries.

Whilst appreciating the fabulous advances in medical science that are improving people’s lives every day, we would derive enormous benefits from devoting a little time each day to our health, wellbeing, inner peace and fulfilment. Mastering the raw energy of our thoughts and feelings would add immeasurable improvements to the quality of our lives, the perfect counterpoint to the quest for a longer life: the ability to live each day to the full and appreciate the gift of life that each moment bestows upon us.

gregory.s.parry@gmail.com