Blog 3142 – 06.07.2024

Live Long And Prosper

Star Trek fans will immediately recognize today’s blog title as the favorite salutation and motto of Mr. Spock, the half Vulcan/half human first officer of the starship Enterprise.

Today I would like to contrast that motto with that of my generation, the boomers, that is most often misattributed to fifties film star James Dean, but was actually written by Willard Morley in his 1947 book Knock On Any Door and is also found in the movie version of the book. The line is, “Live fast, die young , and have a beautiful corpse.” It is usually changed slightly to, “Live fast, die young. Leave a beautiful corpse.”

Too many boomers have done just that and those of us who have survived are often heard to use another famous quote, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”

I remember expecting a baby boy in the spring of 1990, the year I turned forty, and telling by beautiful pregnant wife (pictured above with the clown she married) that I was going to diet and get in shape because I wanted to be around for them, to live long and prosper. Last August fifth that handsome baby boy and his lovely wife had a beautiful baby girl named Emma and I am back on track, getting in shape because I want to be around as long as I can so that Emma has one more person on this side cheering for her to also live long and prosper.

The Apostle Paul, with whose writings I do not always agree, wrote somethings I do agree with, among them this line: “Seeing as we are encompassed about (surrounded) by a great cloud of witnesses let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us.”

In think Spock captured the gist of that in in fewer words. I want to be around to complete my own race and to witness my son’s and Emma’s for as long as I can. My wish for each and all is, live long and prosper, take care of the house you live in and though it may not shine as brightly as the newer homes, it will last you long as you need it.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

My little inspiration Emma Grace White