Birthdays

It's my birthday in a couple of weeks.
I'm always bleating about getting older, but then I read this news article.
Can you even imagine getting to be 112?
That pretty much blows my mind.
It's nearly 40 years since he lost his wife.
Both of his children have died - in their 80's and still he carries on.
He's almost 80 years older than me.
80 years. It's almost too much for your mind to try and wrap itself around.
He wasn't even born in the last century. No, it was the century before that.
1896.
He's seen two new centuries and a new millennium. There can't be many people in the world to have achieved such a feat.
I find myself sitting, in a stunned silence, imagining what changes have occurred in his life, all the things he's seen, more stories than he has time to share.
I bet his biography would be an amazing read.
Happy Birthday Mr Allingham!