American Gladys McGarey knows a lot about how we as humans can lead healthy, happy lives. Not only as a doctor – but as a person who has been alive for more than 102 years. She told us what she would like everyone to internalize.
As a practicing physician, Gladys McGarey has worked with people for decades. With many people. And she has helped many. Even today, the 102-year-old offers medical advice by phone, which some patients take advantage of – privately, because Gladys no longer has an official treatment license. In her book “What makes a good life”, the American shares the insights she has gained over the course of her long life, from the experiences of her own history as well as from the fates of her patients. In particular, Gladys dedicates herself to the question of how we live healthy and happy lives, which she believes are inextricably linked.
“Live and love the moment”
In the conversation, the doctor gave us some of her insights and told us, among other things, what she considers the most precious insight of her life: that we can only heal and be healthy in love and connection to other people. In turn, what she would most like for all people in this world to understand and internalize, Gladys told us, is this: “Live and love every moment of your life no matter what. Open yourself to the secret he can reveal to you or the lesson he can teach you. Accept what is and grow with it. Make every moment a treasure, even if it hurts.”
She herself has been living and looking at her life with this attitude for decades and sees it as one of the main reasons why she feels fulfilled and happy today – and still has undiminished joy and interest in life. She has neither a favorite memory nor would she want to change anything in her life, because every single moment led to the next, which in turn led to the next – and ultimately this sequence of moments is her life. Your very personal, unique, precious reality.
“I think it’s crucial that we accept the reality of every moment of our lives,” said the 102-year-old. “Because if we don’t do that, we miss it. And then one day if we look back and look for it, we don’t find it. Because we haven’t experienced it.” Certainly in our lives there are more intense and less intense moments, more pleasant and more unpleasant. We won’t, when we’re 102 like Gladys McGarey, be able to recap every single Tuesday morning and know how we felt and what we smelled. However, according to the philosophy of the American, every single Tuesday morning is an irreplaceable, indispensable part of our life story, which has given us unforgettable, impressive experiences such as friendship, pleasure, amazement, pain and the recovery from them. Understanding and internalizing this allows us to face every moment – and thus life as a whole – with acceptance, respect and love. And in this way we can participate in a miracle. A miracle to which we all make a unique contribution with our history.