11

The Calendar

Of Life

Okey L. King

December 31, 2010

Introduction

This morning I completed nine years of a planned ten-year study of one of America’s most unpopular subjects. The subject is death. Using Charleston and Beckley newspapers, I have covered an area in West Virginia from the counties of Jackson and Mason in the far west to Monroe, Greenbrier, and Pocahontas in the far eastern section of the state. Although I was more liberal in the beginning, I soon concentrated on West Virginia deaths only.

I used have used seven different age groups. These are Children 0-17, young adults, 18-59, the sixties, the seventies, the eighties, the nineties, and those who made to 100. In the following paper, I will attempt to relate what I have found.

Human life follows the pattern of the seasons of the year. Life begins with early spring and, for a few , ends at the end of winter. Our human life is not to be confused with spiritual life. We should grow in our spiritual life and leave it while we are in glorious summer no matter what the year of our human life might be.

Our youth lasts through Spring. As early spring can be naturally harsh, it is also hazardous for our infancy. Although we live in modern times, our infant mortality is still fairly high…at least it is in West Virginia. Of the 119 children’s deaths I recorded for 2010, seventy-five (63%) were infants under that age of one year. Some left immediately, but, at least they had a chance. After a harsh early Spring the mild time of late Aril and May are a lot easier. Only 16 between the ages of one and twelve left us. But, we get more rambunctious as Spring rolls toward Summer. We lost 28 teens in 2010. Although some left because of illness, some left needlessly. Although these deaths hurt, we are blessed in that only 1.5 % of our deaths are those of children. Still, it could be a lot better.

Although we sing a song that says, “Summertime and the living is easy,” when we take a close look at the summer time of human life, things can be downright scary. And, in West Virginia, it seems to be getting worse. Deaths between the ages of eighteen and fifty-nine made up 21% of our deaths. When you add in those from the sixties, it climbs to about 37%. This past year, 1868 younger people never made it through summer. 1329 just made it into fall. Except for the older sixties, none of these people made it into October and into that somewhat fabled land we call retirement. And, this is just from one part of West Virginia. Almost two thirds of these who left way too soon were men.

Sometimes early Fall is mild but it soon slips into harshness. Human life stumbles and slips as the weather becomes colder. Some women and a lot more men fall to the grim reaper as fall grinds into December.

Finally, we find ourselves in the winter of human life. Strangely, if we can make it to eighty we seem to gather a little staying power. Nearly as many men as women make though the eighties. But, then come the niceties. Only about twelve percent of us make into the 90s. 71% of those who make it into the nineties are women.

Sadly, many of us do not carry our minds with us into deep winter. It gets lost somewhere along the way and we are no longer who we once were. That is the tragedy of winter for some. But, some of us are blessed to be sharp right to the end. My Uncle John Sayre strode through life right up to the end of winter doing his chores and going to church before leaving at the age of 102. But, he was one of a blessed few. That brings us to the end of winter.

There is a fabled land called the land of the hundreds. The odds of sitting foot in that land are slim. Of the 8739 Middle Section West Virginia deaths in 2010, only 65 were those who blessed to make it to that land. Only twenty-eight were men.

So, what are the conclusions about this work that I have attempted?

1. We could do a much better job with infant mortality.

2. We need to protect our teens a lot better.

3. We need to get a grip on why so many younger West Virginians die. Cancer is a big factor. That talks a lot about smoking. Heart problems are also big players. That also talks about smoking and eating. Just plain poor judgment and poor common sense plays a big part in our early departures.

4. We need to have a better attitude toward retirement. We need to understand that that may never come. It is good to put up a little hay, but it is not good to let that hay be our anchor. Be sure you have your house in order in case your ticket out of this life comes earlier than you expect it to come. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love God with everything you have, and have no other God before Him. Make whatever you have of this earthly life count.