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She frantically put the pressure cup on her left arm and started the monitor. She had felt dizzy most of the day. She waited anxiously as the pump kept going up. Finally, after a minute or so, it stopped. She looked down at the monitor. It read 170/103 – too high and at a critical point. She pulled the pressure cup off her arm and placed the monitor on the bench beside the bed. She looked up at me and stated, “I don’t have time to die today.” My elderly mother has suffered from high blood pressure for over twenty years. Frequent checkups and follow-ups by the cardiologist prove frustrating. Her medications keep going up per office visit. If she takes them all at one time, she complains of dizziness. Several trips to the Emergency Room and hospitalizations were caused by a heart attack and two mild strokes, suffered within the past decade. Yet, she goes on physically and is still active today. This seemed ironic to me as I didn’t expect my festy, little 85-year old mother to make this statement. Yet, truth be known, many of us would not have time to die today if known ahead of time of our fate. Death is unthinkable or a last option. It is terminal and permanent. Idealistically, we would find a “Fountain of Youth” and live forever. Many scientists and medical doctors have researched this for centuries. Is there such a thing as a youth-induced pill that keeps our bodies young and thriving? Are there any magical pills or formulas out there? Some medical doctors have specialized in alternative medicine, various anti-aging methods or natural homeopathic procedures. Natural foods, diets and procedures are utilized to prevent the effects of “aging” or slow it down considerably. I find the advertisements for the “all miracle cures” hilarious as there is no just thing I’ve found that exists. I constantly trash pamphlets and brochures received in the mail telling of “miracle” drugs or supplements. Theoretically, there is no such thing as “young forever” which exists in our culture. Yet, millions of people internationally search for the secret to an eternal youthful face and body. The ‘External Youth’ that keeps on ticking. Skincare and beauty products to promote a more youthful appearance have been around for hundreds of years. It is nothing new to the public, no matter how much media would like for you to believe they are a modern avenue or new innovation. That is what it is basically – social media. It makes money, so don’t be pulled in by misleading advertising. Would they keep selling them if they didn’t make a buck or two? There is a high cash flow for the beauty and skincare markets. Plastic and cosmetic surgeons are good among this trade. Each year, women and men pay thousands of dollars for cosmetic enhancements, treatments, procedures or even surgeries. Sometimes the physical alterations don’t change the physical appearance that much, but the person is out of thousands of bucks. You tell me who isn’t benefiting from this? Logically speaking, our bodies will breakdown with age. It’s the normal process of aging. Two things are certain. All of us will get older and we will age in time. What’s the alternative – death? Our metabolic rate will slow down and our bodies will start to decline. The morbid details of death are not even a discussion among young people today. None of us like to think about own immortality. But it is a certainty, as it is a part of life.