The Secret to Long Life

The old man sat quietly and happily in the corner near the window where the sun streamed across the bench. He looked straight ahead, through the bustle of women coming and going to the various stylists.

While my hairdresser was finishing the client before me, I sat on the bench opposite him. A happy and sleek haired little girl emerged from one of the stylist's booths nodding when her mother asked her how she liked her new cut.
"Doesn't it feel nice and bouncy right after a haircut?" I asked her. She shook her glistening hair and smiled.
I turned to the lady sitting next to me, "There's nothing like a great haircut," I sighed.
She agreed. It is such an indulgence to have someone else wash my hair, massage my scalp, care about how my hair properly frames my face possibly even more than I do. I love going to the hairdresser.

Two new ladies settled across from me and smiled, then began chatting about the various hair straightener products they used. The old man still sat like a statue in the sun, looking straight ahead with somewhat watery blue eyes. The three women were called off to their stylist one by one and silence descended as just the old man and I were left. I smiled again at him.

"The heat is good for you," he said suddenly, jolting me out of my peaceful reverie.
"Is that why you are here?" I asked, "To sit in the sun?"
I had wondered what he was doing there. He didn't have enough hair to trim and it didn't seem the type of place a man would come.
"My wife's getting her hair done," he explained.
I nodded, and then he squared his shoulders and again looked like a sun soaked statue.
Suddenly he expostulated, "I'm 95 years old. Will be 96 next week."
"OH my!" I said, "You look great!"
"My sister is 101," he continued, "Still lives in her own home with her son."
"Wow! That must be some kind of record!"
He went on as though he didn't hear me, which he apparently didn't very well. I upped the volume in my queries.
"What is the secret to your long life, do you think?" I asked.
"I told you," he quipped, "The heat."
We chatted til my hairdresser appeared, and I learned he was an avid singer. He had sung in a Barbershop quartet and was widely acclaimed.
"Do you still sing?" I asked.
"Well yes, but not to perform anymore. I've been married 70 years," he added.
"So the heat is all I need to know ?" I asked. He didn't hear me, and then my stylist came to get me. It was time for me to go.
"I really enjoyed chatting with you," I said, "Happy birthday!"

I love these little chance encounters with people and the little nuggets of wisdom and joy that sometimes trickle out like maple sap from gnarled old trunks. Often I don't take the time or energy to cross the barrier of strangers, but it almost always leads to something sweet, or hopeful. The image of the old man sitting in the sun like a cat in a window, so grateful for its warmth was a pleasant way to enter the new year. I love how he answered my question. No complex impossible conditions to live long and still be smiling. Just look for a warm corner in the sun.

I thought of the Bible verse about how we struggle and struggle, but it is really not as hard as we make it. The simple truths about God and righteousness are easy to understand..... we complicate it by rationalizing and contorting Truth to fit what we want to justify. We make the simple hard.

"How do you want your hair done?" asked my stylist.
"Doesn't matter," I told her, "Just be sure the heat setting on the blowdryer is set on high."

Psalm 19:6-8

⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
   and makes its circuit to the other;
   nothing is deprived of its warmth.
 ⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect,
   refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
   making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right,
   giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
   giving light to the eyes.

Hebrews 5: 11-12
¹¹ We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!