Introduction

Century-Old Questions . . . Century-Old Answers

“You can do anything you want if you just put your mind on it and start working.”

Besse Cooper, 116, former school teacher

Many answers to the challenging questions of life today are found in the wisdom of those who have traveled this road before us. We seek answers to our troubling economy, answers to an uncertain future, and answers that will lead to financial security, emotional stability, meaningful relationships, enjoyable work, and living life longer, healthier, and “larger.” What if the answers, the secrets, to many of these challenges about money, work, and life could be found in the authentic wisdom and experiences from the past and present in America’s centenarians? And, what if we fail to capture that wisdom and experience—those secrets—and share them with the younger generation? We set out to find these answers by interviewing America’s oldest generation.

ABOUT CELEBRATE 100

Celebrate 100 is the distilled essence of over 5000 combined years of wisdom, wit, insight, perspective, and advice about life from over 500 centenarians who have lived it with determination, resolve, and excellence.

They come from all across our great nation and represent the many different cultures of our rich heritage, and they comprise all of our diverse socioeconomic strata.

They live in the country, the suburbs, and the cities. They have worked on farms and in factories, warehouses, offices, and in their homes. They have worked in government and in the private sector. They have been employees, bosses, and entrepreneurs. They have been married and divorced. They have laughed and cried—a lot. They have seen babies born and loved ones die. They are athletic and not so athletic. They are compliant and they are mavericks. They are conservative and they are liberal. They are religious and not so religious. They have served in the military and they have supported our troops. They have lived through the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World Wars I and II, Elvis, the Beatles, the Internet, Cable News, space travel, and our current economic, social, and political challenges. They are givers—not takers.

They are witty and they are wise.

We traveled across America meeting with these special people whose ages ranged from 100 to over 116. We captured their goldmine of wisdom and advice through over 250 hours of videotaped interviews, extensive written questionnaires, and telephone interviews. They were born in 30 different states and in 13 foreign countries, creating a kaleidoscope of background, dialogue, and history. Many were themselves first-generation Americans.

Our centenarians were asked questions about money, work, and many aspects of life that confront every one of us. We asked them to share their wisdom, advice, and secrets about these issues from two perspectives: what they actually did that worked, or what would they recommend for the younger generation after a century of perspective, trial and error, successes and failures.

Since beginning this research endeavor in 2007 some of our centenarians have passed on to their next “chapter” in life as Celebrate 100 goes to press. However, we write and refer to all of them in the present tense since they still are very much present in our hearts, and to represent their most recent age since our last interview, conversation, correspondence, or communication about them.

Showing up with cameras and a few inquisitive questions, we witnessed them become alive as artists who begin creatively painting a picturesque scene, musicians passionately playing their instruments, dancers gracefully flowing with their favorite movements, writers thoughtfully articulating well-spoken words, or athletes pressing toward their goal with zest and determination. They light up as they reflect on memories, as they remember and put the pieces of life together in words we, the younger generation, are blessed and privileged to hear. Perhaps the gift of time we received from them, and gave to them, during the interviews, is the best kind of gift—a gift that encouraged wisdom to be shared that leads to a more hopeful future for us all.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

If you will dig deep into this goldmine and treasury of experiences, stories, anecdotes, poems, and prose, extract the nuggets of time-tested wise advice from each page, and daily deposit them into your personal lifestyle bank account, you will be richer, wiser, more joyful, more enthusiastic about life, and dramatically increase your personal chances for celebrating 100 years of life lived with gusto.

Listen to them. Laugh with them. Learn from them.

And you will live life—and you will love life—longer.