Reginald Harling

REGINALD HARLING
age 96*
born: 1901
London, England
occupation:
professor of physics/mathematics

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Why have I lived so long?

I selected the right parents (they and their parents) lived into their nineties,
of course, the usual reasons about not smoking and not drinking,
keeping away from doctors (most of my friends who died were involved with doctors in one way or another),
keeping out of bed as much as possible-bed is a very DANGEROUS place, more people die in bed than anywhere else
but longevity is mainly a matter of luck - luck in health, in congenial occupation, in marriage, in family relationships.

I have been very lucky in all respects

HAPPIEST TIMES
early years of marriage and the birth and raising of two sons.Also, the years spent at Dayton, Ohio, teaching mathematics to Air Force officers.

SADDEST TIMES
the recent years, during which my wife has been in a nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer's disease...the teaching work that I have done at Dietert Claim (senior citizen center) has helped me cope with this continuing difficulty.

MOST MEANINGFUL TIMES
Perhaps the years since retirement,during which I have traveled extensively, and have come to understand that the differences between people of different countries, races, colors and religions are quite superficial, and are much less than the similarities between us.
RETIREMENT
retirement is excellent if one has reasonable physical and mental health, adequate financial resources and some useful occupation-useful to oneself as well as to others. Without any one of these requirements, retirement can be a mere waiting for death.

There are two matters that concern me very much at the present time. One is the best arrangement to make for my wife in the event that she should survive me. The other is that I wonder what I will do when I can no longer continue to live on my own.

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