Does age affect the question: ‘Do you want to live forever?’

“Do you want to live forever?” “Do you believe in Heaven?” These are heavy questions that require a lot of thought, honesty and reflection. For example, while it is unclear what happens to us when we die, if you do not have faith and believe in Heaven, you could fear missing out on it if it does exist. If you do believe in Heaven and it does not exist, you could be wasting the life you do have waiting for something that will never come. If you do not want to live forever, you might reflect on your live and realize there is something missing and that is why you do not want to be on this planet forever. If you do want to live forever, you have to consider the circumstances and how the other people in the world affect your life and decision.

Answers to questions like these could also be affected by a lot of individual characteristics. Things like religion and gender could have an impact on your response, but I choose to explore age. It makes sense that someone 10-years-old has not put a lot of thought into the afterlife, while someone who is approaching 70 can have a well-crafted, thought out answer to questions about immortality and death.

I interviewed different people from ages 10 to 65 about what happens after we die, the possibility of Heaven and if they would want to live forever. Overall, the younger people that I interviewed were interested in the possibility of living forever and less concerned with Heaven or anything equivalent to it.

“I don’t think anything happens after we die, we’re dead,” Laura Cardi, 14, said. “It’s sad, but I just don’t think Heaven exists.”

While Cardi does not believe there is anything after this life, she would consider sticking around forever under a few conditions. “I would definitely live forever if I didn’t age and no one around me aged. I don’t think everyone should be immortal, but if I don’t get a disease or hit by a car, I shouldn’t die from old age or just because it’s ‘time.’”

Cardi’s view on life is unique. She’s so content with the life she’s living that she would live it forever if the world let her. Even younger than Cardi, 10-year-old Faith Heffron would also live forever.

“I don’t know… I guess. Yeah, why not?” Heffron, who was giggling and thought talking about death seemed awkward, said about whether or not she would want to live forever. “I believe in Heaven because my parents do, but if I got to live forever, I could go everywhere and do everything that I want to.”

Heffron presents a good point. If you are alive forever, then you do not have to worry about running out of time. However, as 18-year-old MaryKate Boylan pointed out, if you know you’re going to live forever, the risk, and therefore the excitement, of life is gone.

“I feel like if I knew I was going to live forever I wouldn’t take any risks or live on the edge because I would have the weight of knowing I’ll have to live with it forever,” she said. “At least we know now we can be risky and rebellious because everyone is going to be gone at some point, so why not live to the fullest in this moment.”

Something that Boylan and 22-year-old Claire Hale, who initially thought living forever would be great because she has a lot of different career aspirations, can agree on is the idea of Heaven is a place “with no fear and no evil.”

“I think it would be so cool to live forever like the Cullens in Twilight,” Hale said with a smile. “It sounds silly, but thinking about traveling to different places, getting different educations and starting different careers would be great. I’m indecisive, so knowing I could be a doctor for 50 years, then a horseback rider for another 50, and then traveling the world for another 50 would give me comfort.”

After bringing up the idea of Heaven, Hale’s face dropped. “I just realized if I live forever, then I never get to go to Heaven. I believe that Heaven is a place without problems and drama. It’s just bliss, and you feel so loved by God and everyone who came before you. Now, I don’t want to live forever.”

Hale was the only person who changed her mind after our discussion. It’s possible that because Hale is at a transition in her life, preparing for graduation, applying to medical school and giving up on her dream of working with horses, she grasped onto the idea of being immortal and not having to make permanent decisions.

31-year-old Katie Esler had her own vision of Heaven, even though she does not believe it exists.

“When I think of ‘heaven’ I imagine a completely different world than we are in now, but with the ability to still watch over those that are still living in today’s world. It’s a nice thought, however, I do not think it exists,” she explained.

Esler continued to say she did not want to live forever because it takes away from the idea of accomplishing goals.

“I would not be motivated to do the things on my bucket list that I want to do at some point in my life,” she said. “If I think about living forever, its hard to picture completing certain milestones in life such as going to college, getting married, having kids, retiring, etc.”

Similar to Boylan, 18, Esler, thinks living forever would affect how she lives her life and does not think there are circumstances that would make it possible or desirable.

On the other hand, 49-year-old Debbie Baunchalk who already accomplished everything on Esler’s list of basic life goals besides retirement, would live forever if her family got to stick around as well.

“I would want to live forever if I had my husband, my heath and my kids,” she said. “But because I know that is not the case, I take comfort in the fact that my soul goes onto Heaven and I can look over my family until they join me.”

65-year-old Robert Isabella agrees. “I would love to live forever but only if I was healthy and my family was with me with an unlimited supply of money. Living with a debilitating disease i.e. Cancer or Alzheimer’s, or being broke is not really living in my book,” he explained.

Isabella changed his tune a bit with the idea of Heaven. He would like to continue his life with his family and funds, but if there was less conflict (and annoyances like traffic) and more happiness (days off), he would like to “try it out.”

“If there definitely were a ‘Heaven’ type of place, I would like to try it out. After all it’s supposed to be the ultimate place to be so, why not? Especially if there is no work or traffic…” he said with a smirk.

Perhaps the most interesting discovery from these interviews, is the youngest, Heffron and Cardi, and the oldest, Baunchalk and Isabella, people I talked to would want to live forever.

Both Baunchalk and Isabella have children and a spouse, and made sure to mention them in almost every answer. I think the idea of living forever takes on a new meaning when you think about being around for your child’s entire existence, and having a partner to live forever with adds another layer.

On the other hand, Heffron and Cardi, would want to live forever for different reasons because they obviously do not have children or a spouse, at 10 and 14, respectively. Perhaps they want to live forever because they have not experienced great loss or suffering yet, or a less serious reason like it’s a cool idea and gives them a super power like they see on TV. The reasons could vary, but regardless, it appears that younger and older individuals consider living forever a good thing compared to middle aged people.

However, while the idea of immorality and Heaven seems to be affected by the idea of age and experience, it also appears to be too personal and individual to make hasty generalizations about.

Challenge Yourself: Consider your age, and what you think about living forever. Then consider how you think you felt or how you would feel at 10, 14, 18, 22, 31, 49 and 65.