According to death-clock.org, I should live to be 79 years old and if all goes well I’ll live long enough to see 2061. It seems I’m half way there. Most people hope to live into a healthy old age, and in Canada we have a good chance at living a long time. Over this past decade, the National Geographic has been identifying several areas of the world where people frequently live to be 100 years old. A friend of mine was explaining this phenomenon to me and he told me that these places are called Blue Zones: communities where longevity is the norm.
There are five identified Blue Zones. They are small community pockets in Greece, Japan, an Island in Italy, California, and Costa Rica. Although spread across the globe, they carry some curious similarities. Researchers have found that they smoke rarely, drink in moderation, and often only local wines, are engaged in regular physical activity, eat a more plant-based diet, and have lower caloric intake. The studies have discovered that beyond the expected healthy diet and physical fitness, there were several other factors that changed the lives of these communities.
In each of the Blue Zone communities where people experience greater longevity, they discovered that there were stronger families ties, life long friendships, no retirement, increased social connections, purposeful work, and engagement in spirituality or religion. Some places placed greater value on enjoying free time, while others spent more time out doors. In all cases life felt warm and relaxed, active and intentional.
Perhaps the thread that ties these communities together is that each of them have a sense of purpose. Urgency, which leads to fast eating, avoiding deeper social connections, and anxious pursuits has a way of taking the joy out of the lives we’ve been given. Purpose opens up space for creativity, collaboration, empathy, understanding, and the joy of creating moments we can all care about.
When we have purpose, we have a reason to be here and things to do. We have something to make, to repair, to learn, to redeem, and grow. We have a reason to live. Knowing we are loved by God, and that God likes us and wants us to join with God is a tremendously powerful discovery that can be profoundly life changing. Knowing that our work is meaningful or that the lessons we teach our children are going to give them hope; these are all vital to more than our wellbeing, but they can shift the course of our life.
Chestermere might not be listed as a Blue Zone, and certainly cold winters, delicious Alberta beef and local beer might have us put on a few extra pounds in the end. But there is one thing we do have, each other. We can choose to care for those around us, take time to build a social network that has our back, and live purposefully for the wellbeing of others. Perhaps this pandemic season offers us a chance to exchange urgency and anxiety for purpose and connection. Together we are discovering that we have so much to live for.
