My Birthday

Today, I turned 35.

I am now older than what the average life expectancy for people in Swaziland (a small country in Southern Africa) is.

As I don’t feel old and I am still in fine shape physically and mentally, it’s an especially intense contrast. Had I not been lucky enough to be born in Germany, but unlucky enough to be born in Swaziland, I would now be – statistically – dead.

I don’t mean to spoil any party, and I realize that I cannot save the people in Swaziland or any other disadvantaged country. But maybe we could all try a bit harder?
At the very least, we could appreciate our time on this planet more and put it to some meaningful use.