This is a picture with Dad on an Alaskan Cruise at age 97.

Longevity Secrets from the Life of Bill Pritchett

Commending his servant, the master replied, ‘You have done well, and proven yourself to be my loyal and trustworthy servant. Because you have been a faithful steward to manage a small sum, now I will put you in charge of much, much more. You will experience the delight of your master, who will say to you, “Come celebrate with me!” Matthew 25:21 TPT

Mom spoke fondly of going on an Alaskan cruise one day. We usually spoke on the phone about it and since I was caring for my late husband, Bill, I was unable to go with my parents. Then, Mom became ill and that cruise never happened. After Mom and Bill moved to Heaven, I talked Dad into going on the cruise in her honor. We flew to Vancouver, WA and made it to the ship. I insisted that he use his walker even though he felt like he didn’t need it because it would provide a place to sit.

We rode the elevator up to the dining room and started what became our routine for the rest of the cruise. It went something like this after he had strolled in to the elevator and flipped his walker around to sit down:

“Age has its privileges, don’t you think?” he said cheerfully.

“Not bad for 97, right?” I would add.

“Age is just a number you see from the outside,” he continued.

Everyone would tell him how energetic and active he was. When the elevator door opened, he would flip the walker back around and practically run toward the dining hall.

He made friends with the servers who were from South America. They looked forward to his spirited conversations and ministry to them. We also participated in a Bible Study and prayer time every morning at 8:00 a.m. Dad was asked to lead the study on one of the day we were there. He created some priceless memories and touched the lives of many.

Longevity Secret #27:

Live life fully and celebrate like you will when you get to Heaven. Focus on others with dynamic expressions of interest and actively engaging them in deeper relationships.

This post is part of the Write 31 Days 2019 challenge. Click here to find more longevity secrets.

Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. Her books will inspire you to embrace hope no matter what you are going through. As a caregiver and widow she took brave steps forward to fulfill God’s calling on her life. She has now remarried and enjoys her new hubby and spending time with their children and grandchildren. To increase hope and improve relationships with yourself and those that you love, check out her Facebook page – The Power of Hope.