World’s Oldest Living Person Turns 116 and Shares Her Secrets to a Long Life

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Born in 1909, she has lived through world wars, the sinking of the Titanic, the rise of airplanes and the internet, and so many ordinary days in between. Guinness World Records now recognizes her as the oldest living person. When asked her secret, Ethel once said, “Never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like.”

Her Words Echo with the Wisdom and Secrets of a Long Life

Her words sound simple, but they echo with wisdom. Proverbs tells us, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” Ethel’s years are a crown indeed. Wrinkles map her laughter, her grief, and her prayers. Her hands have held children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She has said goodbye to her husband Norman, her children Gem and Anne, and still she rises each day, carrying the story God has given her.

For those of us living our 50s and 60s, it’s easy to see aging as loss—the knees that ache, the mirror that surprises us with silver strands, the missing places at the table. But what if we chose to see these years as a gift? God whispers Each birthday, “I am not finished with you yet.” Ethel shared another secret about life: “Say yes to every opportunity because you never know what it will lead to. Have a positive mental attitude and have everything in moderation.”

Welcome Every Year with Gratitude

Her words remind us to welcome every year with gratitude. Whether 56 or 116, our lives tell the world of God’s faithfulness. Birthdays are not counting down what is left but honoring the grace already given. Every sunrise, every breath, every moment is a blessing—and a chance to live loved by Jesus.

She realizes birthdays are more than cake and candles. She knows they are reminders that every year we are given on this earth is a blessed gift. She reminds us how blessed it is to grow old with eyes still bright, a heart still seeking, and a soul still whispering thanks.

Isaiah 46:4 “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Watch: World’s Oldest Living Person Turns 116 and Shares Her Secrets to a Long Life

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