Wednesday 11 June 2014

Thursday evening

I’m not sure what the average life expectancy is nowadays for women in England, where I live. It was 82.4 in 2008-2010, and had risen by two years since the previous calculation.

I guess it depends on how you take the average, and how much you want to complicate the picture by socio-economic and linked geographic considerations. I was intrigued to discover, when I did an area study as part of my training for ordination back in the early 90s, that a person would be more like to die in Hastings, at whatever age they were, than anywhere else in the south east except Hove. I still don’t understand that statistic. I mean, how is that possible? Surely – irrespective of age – we are all 100% likely to die. Whatever. Mystery. Anyway, moving on.

So I was thinking the likelihood is that average life expectancy for women in England must be about 84 by now. 84 is 7 x 12. There are seven days in a week. This means that a woman in England (like me) could choose to see her life as a week, and figure out which day she’s on.

I know Sunday is meant to be the first day of the week and Quakers even called it First Day, but that doesn’t feel natural to me – I guess because in the church we have come to think of Sunday as the Sabbath and obviously the Sabbath comes at the end; I mean, you don’t start the week with a rest, do you?

So to me Monday (a bold flat strong primary yellow colour) is the first day of the week. Tuesday, which is blue, is Day 2. Wednesday (green) is Day 3. Thursday is red and Day 4. I don’t have a feeling about the colours of Friday and Saturday, but for me Sunday is yellow but different from Monday. Sunday is a juicy translucent colour of yellow like lemon juice or a sunbeam. And it is Day 7.

Happily, as there are 24 hours in each (real, normal) day and we are thinking of 12 x 7 being 84, that makes it easy to divide up each figurative day because of 24 being twice 12.

I am 56 but nearly 57. 12 x 4 = 48 and 12 x 5 = 60. That means I am well on through Day 4 (Thursday). I’m assuming a day starts at midnight, so Thursday began at midnight when I was 48. At 56, end of last July, I reached afternoon tea time on the Thursday of my life (4.00pm), and next month when I’ll turn 57 it’ll be six o’clock on Thursday – about supper time.  


My mother is 86. I guess that means she’s borrowing from eternity.


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Amendment: If you read the comments you will see that Pilgrim has correctly worked out that my life has reached Friday teatime, not Thursday! Nearly the weekend . . .

14 comments:

Julie B. said...

My brain hurts now. :) I have no intention of ever being in my eighties. And I think Friday is purple. xoxo

Pen Wilcock said...

Sylvia next door thinks Friday is purple (violet) too; and I'm coming round to that view myself. xx

Jenna said...

Friday, purple, definitely.

And the Sabbath was changed, not by YHVH, but because Mithra-worshipping Constantine wanted it that way. I observe what the world calls Saturday with "ceasing" which is what is meant by "Sabbath." It's sometimes inconvenient, but that's the sign of His people (Ez 31:17, remembering that "Israel" doesn't equate with "Jews"; all 12 tribes along with a mixed multitude who left Egypt with them were present at Sinai.).

Ted Marshall said...

What a fascinating way of looking at our lives! And I think Friday is a nice deep burgundy.

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) Hi friends! xx

gail said...

Oh Pen you are a hoot. Too late in the evening for my poor brain to work that and as for your lovely Mum well eternity sounds good to me.
blessings Gail

Pen Wilcock said...

:0D

xx

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

Thursday might be purple and Friday a rich burgundy. Or vice-versa; I will let you know how I feel tomorrow:-)

Kat said...

This is really interesting. As I read it, I was thinking Friday is purple and I had claret red for Saturday ... then when I got to the comments I found I wasn't the only one going in this direction. Strange how these were the colours to come to mind ... no pink or orange for any of us!
Many thanks for an enjoyable read.

Pen Wilcock said...

Hmm. Embroider your week? xx

Pilgrim said...

Aren't we really on Friday, day five?
Monday through age 12
Tuesday through 24
Wednesday through 36
Thursday through 48
Friday through 60?

Pen Wilcock said...

Pilgrim - you're absolutely right! When I first worked this out, I thought, "Oh, I've reached Friday" - then when I did it again I thought "No, Thursday."
But you're quite right, we're on Friday (those of us in our 50s).
D'you know I had to write out the whole schedule - I couldn't work it out in my head!

Pilgrim said...

I'm just a few months behind you--sobering.....

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) Yes. And sort of exciting, too. xx