the blue zone and the new zone

I'm reading a book called Blue Zones, all about these pockets where people consistently live to be 100 years old or more.  it is an interesting read, even though it is written in a "you too can live to be 100 by doing these things!" sort of way.  and most of those things are just not part of the typical amreican lifestyle these days (slow down, make time for a spiritual pratice, put emphais on family, eat a plant based diet, drink nothing but water...).  it makes me sort of smug to relize that I already do almost everything suggested, even though I have never had great aspirations to live forever.  but the quality of life descibed in these "blue zones" is certainly something to be desired.  much different than the old people I know, for sure.

it is quite a juxtaposition to be reading and thinking about extending life at the end while being here to celebrate and support a life that started a bit ahead of schedule.  baby eliza decided to get a jump start on us all, and is actually ("ashu-a-whee") doing a pretty good job with it all.  seeing her tiny body doing such hard work already while thinking about people on the opposite end of the spectrum who's bodies have been through so much for so long is a comforting thought in my mind.  I think of the technology available now that wasn't even thought of 100 years ago, the miracle that eliza gets to be, partly because she was born in 2012 and not 1912.  but there is also so much to be said for the basic instinctive care that is helping her thrive: kyle's hand reaching into her warming tray to connect with her as only a papa can; breast milk, both from carey's body and from donations of other mamas, still the very best food we know of for little ones, even after years of research and experimentation; richard reading to her so she knows how very loved she is from every direction she can think of.   there is such balance to what we need and what we know we need without knowing we need it.  there is such beauty in caring for those we love (an oursleves!) by doing what come naturally. 

so welcome to the world, eliza lyn.  may you live to be 100 and outshine us all.