Sure. Doctors have an above average life span. Nurses? Not so much.
But if you could crank back the clock & pick a profession that would enhance your longevity and joy (the two are linked) two careers stand out.
The first is no surprise. Everyone knows the answer. It is nuns. Not just Catholic but Buddhist.
The surprise comes with the other finding on longevity...a job held by folks that flap their arms around on stage & are rewarded with cascades of joyful sound. Music conductors have long topped the list of the long-lived.
Note Leopold Stokowski, 95, & Arturo Toscanini, 89. Important illustrations because average life expectancy in their era was 50.
Not surprisingly, another group of musicians is at the bottom of the longevity chart: rock musicians. Another low score went to another group of artists we call poets.
Is the meaning of life more important than its length? It is to me.
Nuns & conductors win the quality/quantity quandary by achieving both.
Teachers have notoriously long life spans. However, it is hard to surpass caregiving when it comes to meaning of family when it comes to what matters. The selfie made by my son defines Hope for me in ten faces. It shows every member of my immediate family starting with my wife (3rd from left), son, left, & daughter, 4th from left.
Here is a life challenging New Year's resolution: If your work holds deep meaning stick with it...even through periods of burnout. If your work is just a job, switch to something that matters to you.
Above all, draw neigh to family & friends. Help those you do not know. That is my recipe for a Happy New Year.
In the end, what matters most cannot be measured.
Erie Chapman
