99. May we live for a hundred years
Can you believe that in Italy, many people living to 100 years or more have renewed their driver's licenses at age 100?
Recent data shows Italy has 23,548 residents aged 100 or older, an increase from 21,211 in 2024. The number of centenarians has more than doubled since 2009.
Among those reaching the milestone age, 82.6% are women. Women also predominate among Italy’s 724 semi-supercentenarians—people aged 105 and over—and among the 19 supercentenarians in the 110-plus age group.
The record book indicates that Lucia Laura Sangenito, an Italian, will turn 115 on November 22. She is Italy’s oldest woman and the third oldest in Europe, following Ethel Caterham, 116, in the UK, and Marie-Rose Tessier, a French woman who celebrated her 115th birthday in May.
All women.
Italy’s growing aging population is now posing significant challenges for the government, further worsened by a rapidly declining birthrate that puts additional pressure on pension and healthcare systems.
In 2024, there were only 370,000 new births, the lowest since 1861.
The Mediterranean diet has long been regarded as a key factor in longevity among Italians, alongside strong social connections and a robust healthcare system.
And look at our own country.
We mainly sing and celebrate, but our lives usually range from 65 to 85 years, and that's only if you're extremely lucky.
In the Atharva Veda, there is a stanza –
पश्येम शरदः शतम्।।१।।
जीवेम शरदः शतम्।।२।।
बुध्येम शरदः शतम्।।३।।
रोहेम शरदः शतम्।।४।।
पूषेम शरदः शतम्।।५।।
भवेम शरदः शतम्।।६।।
भूयेम शरदः शतम्।।७।।
भूयसीः शरदः शतात्।।८।।
(अथर्ववेद, काण्ड १९, सूक्त ६७)
हम सौ शरदों तक देखें, यानी सौ वर्षों तक हमारे आंखों की ज्योति स्पष्ट बनी रहे (१)।
सौ वर्षों तक हम जीवित रहें (२);
सौ वर्षों तक हमारी बुद्धि सक्षम बनी रहे, हम ज्ञानवान् बने रहे (३);
सौ वर्षों तक हम वृद्धि करते रहें, हमारी उन्नति होती रहे (४);
सौ वर्षों तक हम पुष्टि प्राप्त करते रहें, हमें पोषण मिलता रहे (५);
हम सौ वर्षों तक बने रहें (वस्तुतः दूसरे मंत्र की पुनरावृत्ति!) (६);
सौ वर्षों तक हम पवित्र बने रहें, कुत्सित भावनाओं से मुक्त रहें (७);
सौ वर्षों से भी आगे ये सब कल्याणमय बातें होती रहें (८)।
(May we see for a hundred autumns, that is, may our eyes remain clear for a hundred years (1).
May we live for a hundred years (2);
May our intellect remain strong and knowledgeable for a hundred years (3);
May we continue to grow and prosper for a hundred years (4);
May we continue to receive nourishment and nourishment for a hundred years (5);
May we continue to live for a hundred years (essentially a repetition of the second mantra!) (6);
May we remain pure and free from evil thoughts for a hundred years (7);
May all these auspicious things continue to happen for a hundred years beyond (8).)
Even France, Italy, and Greece have the highest proportion of centenarians per capita. In the UK, the number of individuals aged 100 and older doubled from 8,300 in 2004 to 16,600 in 2024.
A soul search is required.
(Top Photo Courtesy thelocal.it with thanks)