Human beings have always pursued immortality, hoping that life expectancy will be as long as the water of the East China Sea and as eternal as the mountains of the South Mountain. Since ancient times, there have been emperors who have sought the elixir of immortality, but they will not be able to live forever. But is longevity really the same as happiness? The story of Mba Godot may give us the answer.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the limit of human lifespan is between 130 and 150 years. Longevity doesn't always mean happiness, though. Mba Godo, a 146-year-old man, is a case in point. Although he is beyond the age limit of ordinary people, he is not happy and even longs for death. Why? There may be an answer hidden in his story.
Mba Godot, formerly known as Maba Goso, was born on December 31, 1870, in Indonesia. On his 146th birthday, he was regarded as the longest-lived man in the world. Although healthy, able to walk on his own, and free of obvious geriatric diseases, his wish was not to live a long life, but to end his life that had lasted for more than a century.
His life was not a happy one. In the past, he had bought coffins and tombstones for himself, ready to face death. But the Grim Reaper seemed to have forgotten him. It wasn't until April 12, 2017 that he finally passed away of heart failure, fulfilling his greatest wish.
Looking back at Mba Godot's life, we see the trajectory of an ordinary person's life. He lived through wars, family life, and witnessed the independence of his country. However, with the death of his loved ones one after another, he felt a deep sense of loneliness and pain. His story teaches us that longevity is not the same as happiness. The value of life lies in quality, not in sheer length.
Mba Godot's story is a reflection on the dream of longevity, reminding us to cherish every moment of life and pursue a meaningful life, not just an extension of life.