Transcription
Look at the camera. Hold this and go. Okay.
Life lessons from a centenarian. Hair and makeup. You look good, Mom. How many times have you been challenged with a lady who's almost 101? I'm 102. We discovered to our surprise. How does it feel to be 102? I feel like a million dollars. I don't feel 107. I feel more in my 80s and 90s.
I'm not sure what it is that helps me to keep going. A corny thing called positive thinking. I never gave up. If I had something that I wanted to do, I was persistent. I have no idea what made me live so long except I've never drunk coffee. People say, "What is your secret?" Like it's some big secret. You've learned so much. You've known so much and you want to share it. Well, I feel like a movie star.
My childhood was during the Great Depression. Nothing came easy to me. I was a dancer employed by the United States government to dance for the soldiers. I mean, it was big. My original goal was to be an English teacher and that wasn't quite my um dish. I grew up in a church. I taught vacation Bible school when I was a teenager. In my day, you stayed home, you had your children, and you stood by your husband. And we've been in a revolution ever since. World War II made a tremendous difference in that women finally were recognized as having formal capabilities. I enlisted in the Navy on Pearl Harbor Day. The people of the United States will not stand idly by. Being of the Jewish faith, we knew what Hitler was doing to the Jewish people in Germany. I was worried he could conquer the United States as well. June 6th, 1944. Hitler was working. So, we felt it and I lost several relatives and that was terrible.
If it was up to me, I would have continued my career in the Navy. But my wife Betty, and I don't blame her, she says, "No, I want you to leave a normal life." And that started my career as a dentist. I truly always enjoyed what I did. I was a certified director of patient accounts at a major hospital. I worked at a real estate loan and insurance office. Did you enjoy your Yes, because that's where I met my husband. He came in one day and wanted to know if I'd like to go play miniature golf with him. And what did you say? And I did. Mhm.
Do you have marriage advice? A marriage what advice? Oh, let me see. cuz it's important. It's so important to feel love. Love is um a strong feeling. I won't say it makes the world go round, but it's very helpful. Love has more meaning than the sexual portion of love. I met my husband and I knew that I would marry him. He just was verbal. And of course, I'm verbal, so it was a good uh match. A likemindedness is the foundation of a solid marriage. You agree and you're on the same page and you want to live your life together and that is love.
Most challenging thing about being a 100 and sometimes time hangs heavy on your hands. I don't have any of my good friends that are still alive. They're all gone. My wife passed away just 20 years ago this year. much too early. She should be here with me, sitting right here, right now. I was passionate about my doubt. I wanted her to doubt with me. I miss my husband. I was married to him for 82 wonderful years. No, I'm sorry. 85. And I lost two sons. I just lost one a few weeks ago. My oldest son, he was 82 when he died. I'm just shocked that I would still be here and they're gone.
At my age, I think every every step you take is challenging. I feel I'm on borrowed time. My husband Paul was a remarkable sensitive person. We were married 67 years when he passed away. And the truth is I miss him every day. I had a special life because I had an incredible husband. It's very tough at this stage of the game to be alone, be vulnerable, and be dependent. I'm the last man standing. It is not easy at all. If I sat around and grieved all day long, that would be very difficult to take. I know that life goes on and that's the only answer I can give you. Life goes on. So get on and do the things that you love to do.
What has changed the most in a 100 years? A great deal has changed. I would say the internet. Is it true that you're on YouTube? my whole generation. We don't know how to handle it. I see all these young people walking down the street holding phones. We're scared of it. Everybody's got one but me and we don't like it. I don't use a phone here because I I I just don't. It's just like going in a dark room and trying to find something. Wow. Amazing how much garbage gets on your computer. It used to be that if you wanted to know the answer to something, you'd have to go to the library and do a great deal of research to find out about something. Today, with a snap of your fingers, the internet has that answer for you. Done. I'm at the computer a great deal. Oh, I think technology if used properly has definitely made a huge difference. The ability to reach out to one another, getting emails, sending emails. So, yes, technology has changed and improved and given us better chances in life. The important thing is for us to utilize these inventions properly and carefully, not to use them in a bad way.
I'm going to do my exercises. One, two, three, four.
What has helped you live to 100? I've never smoked. I've never drank to excess. I love the outdoors. I suggest 1 hour a day of strenuous exercise. Guard your health. It's a precious gift. Lot of stretching, lot of kicking to walk, walk, walk. A real workout that will keep you going and that will keep you alive. We have a bike here. I go on and I try to stay on that bike for 15 to 20 minutes and to keep my legs in healthy form. I can feel it in my body. The muscles are not what they were. You can wait, Grandma. You wait till you finish there. Start at an early age and eat properly. Watch your diet. Don't get overweight. There was a period of time when I put weight on and I regret that very much. I don't eat meat to excess, but I do have chicken which I like very much. I stay away from bacon and things like that as much as possible. A lot of protein. Steak every night if you can.
My attitude is don't let the old man in. I refuse to think old. If you think young, more than likely you're going to act young. There's always something on my plate that I look forward to doing. And I think that's u important for people to look forward to what you can do today that makes a difference. I like games. It keeps my mind active. I play and I do pretty well. Oh, for the triple word. Thank you. Two more. You got to keep seven. Oh, I have many, many friends who help me enjoy life from all different generations. the 60s, the 70s, 80s, 90s. And that's what makes life so interesting because you're feeling the responses of different generations to problems.
Do you have any money advice for young generations? Yes. Buy land. Is that what you did? No. I'm terribly bad about money. I'm just ignorant and helpless. Make an investment. Even if you want to start small, patience to achieve what in the long run is the best for you. The stock market goes up and down, but in the long run, the stock market always goes up. If you watch the pennies, then when you need the dollars for a down payment on that house, you've got them. Don't go to the bank and put it in a savings account that gives you 2% interest. Put it in a good solid stock. And a mutual fund is probably your best bet.
So, what's the secret for a long happy life? Oh, I think just love life. It's a devotion to my family, to the ones I love. What matters most to me today is the welfare of my family members. How are they doing? Yes. Busy, busy lives. If I have a purpose, it's to help my family. If you don't complain, you don't make life difficult for whoever is around you, you'll get along in life. You want to be attached to the things that are positive and good in life. You have to ignore the negative. Just forget it. The thing that I've really learned not to be so self-entered. You can't get anywhere in life till you start doing things for other people. Giving is a real joy. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I think if you're nice to people that it comes back to you.
And I believe so many things that I pray for, I get answers. That's why I have longevity.
Call elderly people, come and see them. I think that that's such a wonderful thing for people to do. Not to forget people that are older. As far as I'm concerned, I let my feelings be heard in the form of a book. I hate the pictures. The kids had been after me for many years. Oh. To write my memoir. And so that makes me feel good that the lessons in life are in that book.
As I sit here with you today, I don't feel like my days are numbered. I feel that that I have good years in front of me yet. Can I scratch my nose? Yes. I didn't know if I was on camera or not. I can just barely hear you. Why don't you stand over there? You want me to speak now? Pie's on the camera.