What does longevity mean?

November 14, 11:23 AMPhiladelphia Longevity ExaminerRobin Gorneau

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This column received a comment regarding Jacqueline Kennedy's longevity, or lack there of in terms of number of years lived, which prompted this question: if a person does not live a long life can an enduring legacy be considered longevity?

Alex Scott of Montgomery County, PA, lived to be only eight years old and in her short life she inspired others to donate a million dollars to children's cancer research.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised more than $25 million and has funded over 80 research projects nationally helping fulfill Alex’s dream of finding a cure [source: Wikipedia].

Is Alex's impact any less meaningful because she passed away at eight? Read about Alex’s Foundation.

Richie Valens, Buddy Holly, Otis Redding, Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Cass Elliot, Keith Moon, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Bob Marley, Laura Nyro, and Kurt Cobain, to name a few, died young and continue to influence many.

Are their contributions any less relevant because they did not live long lives?

Ryan White, a teenager from Indiana who died at age 18, inspired the Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, enacted by Congress in 1990. CARE provides some level of assistance for 500,000 sick individuals annually [source: Wikipedia]. What an impressive legacy this young man left for his family and the country.

Michael Jackson is a major influence in songwriting and music production, even though he lived a short life.

Maybe it isn't the number of years a person spends on earth that defines longevity but how they spend their personal capital. 
 

Beatles photo credit: Life Magazine