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This year, we witnessed the birth of the world's longest-lived man, 111-year-old John Alfred Tyniswood. His age is not only the accumulation of numbers, but also the witness of time, and his existence seems to let us touch the boundaries of life.
Not long ago, the Guinness World Records adjudicator personally presented him with a certificate of certification, which is not only an affirmation of his longevity, but also a tribute to his life experience. When asked about the secret of longevity, Tyniswood didn't give the tirade one expected, instead he pondered for a moment and then gave two words – two words that were extremely simple but difficult to do.
John Alfred Tyniswood was born in 1912 in a quiet town in England.
Tynis once recalled that when he first came into this world, his body was so thin that it seemed that he could only wrap his bones with a trace of flesh, but he struggled tenaciously to breathe the first breath of air in the world. His family named him Tynnis, and they had their deepest hope: that he would be as resilient as his name and that he would survive in the world.
However, not long after, a sudden flu enveloped the family like a black fog. My mother died under pressure, and my father fell ill two years later. Young Tinnis and his sister are forced to live on each other and beg on the streets to feed themselves.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, the smoke of the First World War rose on the European continent. With the war and the scarcity of food and daily necessities, the family's life is even more difficult, often struggling with hunger.
Tinnis remembers a time when his father stole a pheasant to find food for them, but was caught red-handed and almost faced jail time. Due to chronic malnutrition and hardship, my father eventually passed away in 1920. At the age of 8, Tinnis and his sister were orphaned, and they had to rely on the help of their fellow villagers to survive those gloomy years.
But fate does not seem to want to spare these two children, and the elder sister died of illness at the age of 14, leaving Tynis alone in the world to take root and survive.
Growing up in a difficult environment, Tinnis was accustomed to the trials and tribulations of life from an early age. At the age of 18, he took his sweaty and mud-stained bag and set out on a journey to a strange battlefield.
The Second World War was a brutal test of survival for the young man. The artillery fire was continuous, and his comrades fell one by one beside him, but he seemed to be blessed by heaven and escaped from the hands of death again and again.
Finally, in 1945, Tynis ushered in the dawn of victory. After the war, he was determined to live a stable life, so he paid special attention to taking care of his body through exercise.
During a routine long-distance run in the park, he met the other half of his life. It was an elegant and gentle lady, and the two hit it off at first sight, then got to know each other, and a few years later they settled down for life, and they have been in love for many years.
Soon after, the crystallization of their love was born, and a lovely daughter made the little family happy. Tinnis also worked cautiously for a nearby oil company, finally retiring after 38 years at the age of 65.
After retirement, he and his wife often travel with their daughter. However, the good times did not last long, and his wife died of illness a few years later, leaving her daughter and Tinnis to rely on each other.
In the days when he lived alone, Tinnis sorted out the memories of the years, wrote his biography, and reviewed the hardships along the way. The daughter soon found another good relationship to start a family, although there are no children to take care of, but he has always maintained a contented heart.
Time flies, and in a flash, it is today, 111 years later. In fact, since the death of his wife, living alone has begun to make him unable to do anything. The daughter's family has long since left for a long time, and can only settle her father in this prestigious high-end nursing home. After many years of community life, Tinnis felt warm to be cared for again.
In his bright and tidy single room, Tynis was carefully placed by a team of skilled nursing staff, who patiently explained everything he needed to pay attention to.
Despite his advanced age, Tinnis's mind remained clear-headed, and he quickly adapted to the daily life and facilities of the nursing home.
Every day, in the company of sunlight and breeze, he opens the window and breathes deep in the fresh air, a feeling that has made him more comfortable than ever.
Afterwards, Tinnis would sit in his only rattan recliner, turn on the radio and listen to current news. Although his vision is gradually blurring, his hearing is still keen, and understanding the dynamics of the world has become a daily routine that he enjoys.
If the weather is nice, Tinnis takes a leisurely walk through the gardens of the nursing home with his crutches on his legs. The garden is well designed with flowers in bloom, babbling water and a pleasant view. He would choose a shaded bench to sit down and observe the familiar flowers and trees.
It went on for a long time, and it wasn't until this year, when Tinnis won the Nobel Prize, that he shared his tips for staying healthy.
In an interview, Tinnis revealed that he fell in love with growing his own small vegetable garden in the yard at some point. When spring comes, he turns the soil in good spirits and transplants the most tender seedlings into it one by one. After a few months, he was able to taste the vegetables and fruits he had grown.
Compared to when he was younger, Tinnis's life is much more comfortable now, he no longer worries about his livelihood, he has no worries about food and clothing, and he prefers to spend the rest of his life on the things he loves.
His three meals are usually simple and often light vegetarian. His experiences in Sicily as a young man gave him the habit of controlling his appetite, and although he occasionally had a few drinks, he stayed away from the temptation of tobacco.
On Fridays, Tinnis would specifically ask the kitchen to prepare him a fish and potato stick, one of his few indulgences and a way of reminiscing about his life on the battlefield. Other than that, his temperate life seems to be even better.
In the evening, when it is still early in the night, Tinnis will go to the small gym on the fourth floor to get a moderate amount of exercise. He still maintains his daily exercise routine, but now he just jogs in the gym.
Every once in a while, the daughter would drive from afar to visit her father and bring him daily necessities, which was also an opportunity for them to get together. When he sees his only loved one, Tynis always tries to put his best foot forward, even though deep down he is a little ashamed of the need for someone else to take care of him.
Perhaps it is this cautious attitude to life that keeps Tinnis in such a state of mind. For him, the secret of longevity is simple, a principle of "moderation". Whether it's exercising, eating, drinking, or smoking, Tinnis strictly adheres to the principle of moderation and rejects any excesses or indulgences.
In the twilight of life, Tinnis still tastes the sweetness of life and has no regrets. He is content with the warm and comfortable haven of the nursing home, where his body and mind are nourished and pampered.
For him, wealth and fame are just passing clouds, and it is his greatest wish to complete the final journey of life smoothly.
After a hundred years of ups and downs, Tinnis has deeply understood the true meaning and value of life. The secret of his longevity has become the focus of discussion, but he just wants to enjoy his last blue sky and white clouds in this tranquility.
The story of Tynis teaches us that true happiness does not lie in material abundance, but in inner fulfillment and peace.