Well, it’s official. I live with a centenarian. Grandma is 100 today! Pretty cool, right? I had envisaged a blog full of wise words on the true meaning of life but despite my best efforts, grandma refused to answer any of my ‘silly questions’ so I’m sharing my thoughts on what has kept her going this long. Don’t worry, this is not a 100 point list.

• Good genes – I think it goes without saying that grandma is naturally very tough, and although heart failure has diminished her physically, she is still doing remarkably well.
• Anxiety– That sounds unhealthy, and it probably is, but I’m convinced her highly strung nature has kept her going. Her desire to not disappoint or even miss an appointment has made her ‘hold on’ for this long.
• Wine – This is grandma’s favourite response when asked about her secret to getting to 100. Everyday, she has two glasses of red wine with her lunch and she swears it does her good. Either because of the antioxidants in the wine or she’s pickling herself from the inside.
• Friendships – Grandma has lots of friends she keeps in touch with. They don’t engage in deep or particularly meaningful conversations but they gossip and giggle a lot.
• A sense of humour – Grandma is very funny. Occasionally on purpose, mostly not, and making her laugh regularly is part of my caring mission.
• Grumbling – As she’s told me umpteen times: ‘I’ve got to grumble!‘. I disagree but this habit might also be a key to longevity. She loves to grumble at the news, and answers she deems are stupid on quiz shows, and at me – naturally. Maybe she’s fuelled by her annoyance.
• Adaptability – Grandma hates change but once it has happened, she adapts very quickly and forms new habits. She then insists she has always had them.
• Sleep – Grandma doesn’t sleep for very long in bed. She hates it and is always up early but she does have naps in the afternoon. This means I also have to be up at the crack of dawn minus the luxury of afternoon naps. Not conventional but it works for this centenarian and I feel tired like one.
• Doesn’t dwell on the past – Despite her anxiety, grandma doesn’t do too much introspection, she gets over things quickly (or seemingly does) and rarely indulges in trips down memory lane. Maybe her forward-looking attitude has helped her.
• Me– Not to brag, but she wouldn’t have made it this far without me taking meticulous care of her. She’d publicly disagree with that statement but I did get a small ‘thank you’ this week. I was touched by this rare and unexpected display of gratitude.

So there you have it – no meditation, clean eating, or gratitude journals for this old lady. Helped by genetics, she embodies the grit and resilience of her generation. Make of it what you will 🙂