FOR those whose different paths through life have led them to reside in East Dunbartonshire, the findings of the National Statistics data this week constitute good news (" Men in Scotland's affluent areas to live 12 years longer", The Herald, October 17).
Those in East Dunbartonshire learn that they continue to outdo the expectations, enshrined in the beginning of Psalm 90 verse 10, "the days of our years are threescore years and ten". The verse does, of course, continue : "and if by reason of strength they be four scores, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away".
The figures published for East Dunbartonshire gainsay the aforementioned 70 years' lifespan when they report that men living there can expect to live for 80.5 years and women can expect to reach 83.9 years. The biblical proposition that, if you get to fourscore years, then you will be living a life of labour and sorrow, is not , I believe, generally one prevalent in East Dunbartonshire with regard to people in their seventies and eighties.
There are a number of factors setting that proposition at nought, for example:
l The widespread use of free bus passes to travel locally, regionally, and nationally;
l The extensive use of facilities in sports centres and clubs;
l The large number of pensioners' clubs;
l The participation in learning in later life activities;
l Senior citizen involvement in improving computer literacy;
l The large numbers still involved in holiday breaks at home and abroad.
It has to be acknowledged , undoubtedly, that most of those participants can be viewed as fortunate to have reasonable health, sufficient wealth, and an above- average community setting in which to so live their lives. The time may come when someone will have to write an East Dunbartonshire addendum to Psalm 90 covering the residents of that district in respect as to when they are generally scheduled to "fly away".
Ian W Thomson,
38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie.
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