Britain’s oldest men are both turning 110 this week. Yes, 110!!
The Telegraph in the UK reports, “The two have credited their old age to porridge and a good sense of humour.”
Well, I like to think I have one of those covered, but I will need to develop an affinity for porridge if I want to be a centenarian (which, honestly, I’m not sure I want to be. But surely that’s similar to the 10-year-old totally unable to imagine what it would be like to be 43? By the time I get closer to 100 I could be surprised at how awesome it really is).
Another great thing about these two men? Although they have never met, they have exchanged birthday cards for years! It’s as if they have embraced the idea of having a birthday twin! Both Robert Weighton and Alf Smith were born March 29 1908.
Secret to Old Age
Former farmer Smith’s recipe for longevity? “Porridge is helpful and having a job you enjoy.”
Weighton, an engineer most of his life, said: “I think laughter is extremely important. Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people taking themselves too seriously.”
Photo by sandeepachetan.com on Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Weighton also “dismissed smoking as ‘horrible’ and ‘absurd’ after trying it in his early teens and is equally unimpressed by wealth, saying he ‘never wanted to become rich.’”
Some would say, though, he is rich with family. The father of three has 10 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
If I do make it to centenarian and they are interviewing me about what I attribute my longevity to, I hope I’ll still be able to say “good friends, good books, and the occasional sweet.” (I put occasional in there assuming I’ll have to cut back more to get to 100!).
Birthdays are Best 