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Here is a fun little experiment that anyone can do who is contemplating where their life is going. Or how they are spending their day to day life.

Take a tape measure and lay out 73" on the floor. Now put your finger on the inch that corresponds to your current age. Look at where you are along the total length.

The 73 represents the average lifespan (varies according to the decade in which you were born and nationality but not that much). How much have you got left if you live to the average age? The tape shows you very graphically where you are in your lifespan. It takes the emotion and avoidance of thinking about that little fact out of the equation. There it is, staring you in the face.

Now ask yourself what you plan to do with what's left.

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1

Though, of course, you could die tomorrow - or live for another 50 inches/years.

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2

How depressing!
I'm too busy planning my next trip to do this.
I would suggest your time be better spent living every day to the fullest. My mum just turned 95 so it's lucky she didn't try this as she would have been sitting round waiting to die for over 20 years.
Live every day as if it was your last - one day it will be.

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3

"Average" is for the folks that need to crawl on the floor and and ask a tape measure
where they are in life.

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4

Why did I know this would generate 'flip' answers. Human behaviour is so predictable. Avoid facing reality as much as possible.

The point of the exercise is it forces you to see very graphically what you can easily avoid seeing otherwise. Believe me if you do this exercise it will make you think twice about your life and what's left of it. As the saying goes, seeing is believeing. But it's much easier to ignore what you don't actually see.

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5

What do I do if I work in metric?

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6

The point is redundant as at 65 society sees one as useless so work is either prohibited or conditions are put in place rendering it not cost effective to bother.

That's the reality & you're avoiding it!

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7

if you do this exercise it will make you think twice about your life and what's left of it.

Given that I have just entered Syria today, I think I'd rather go by 'maktub' (= 'what is written') And not depend on looking at a tape measure.

I'm far, far too busy enjoying life and having new adventures. If I die tomorrow or forty years hence it's all the same to me. What I have planned for the future stretches a looong way ahead, but if not, why worry?
I've already lived twenty six years longer than my mother and twenty years longer than my grandfather so anything at all is a bonus I don't intend to waste.

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8

Hi,

Not my idea of fun. The only reason I got to this age is because I am too stubborn to die. Just think you could see the 72" mark and think...... Please do not be offended if I take a pass on this one. Too busy planning my next mischief making trip to show the kids they don't own the world - I do

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9

We sure have a whole bunch of old folks on this board that are too busy living it up to be thinking of dying.

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