After my short trip to Japan, I turned around and boarded another plane, this one bound for Texas. Luckily, I managed to redeem points for the trip, and expenses were minimal. But what spurred the sudden flight? My grandmother.

I am one of the fortunate folks to be approaching 40 and still have a grandparent. Unfortunately, I missed last year’s festivities due to relocating to Hawaii, and I couldn’t make the trip. But this year, I managed to find a way home.

My grandmother just celebrated 101. Born in 1919, she’s seen it all. Growing up with a horse and buggy, she’s seen the rise of cars, felt the hardships of the Great Depression, endured through WWII, and witnessed landing on the moon. That is a rich life of vast, significant moments in human history. She’s outlived most, and lived in a Golden Age. What’s more, I have another relative who is still going at 105. How do these women do it? I just hope to live beyond the “normal” life expectancy. All I can say is: they don’t make them like they use to.