Longevity is over-rated. Even if Barbara or George Sr. had died young, their marriage still would’ve been as fulfilling as it apparently was. Obviously, a 73-year marriage is more romantic and poetic than one in which a partner was widowed young or in middle-age, but other than that there’s little difference. It’s the same with life-span. I’d rather have Jim Morrison’s life over Strom Thurmond’s any day.

Anyway, RIP Barbara Bush.

EDIT: Just to be clear, I was going off on a tangent and my commentary had nothing to do with Barbara Bush at all, just the idea of desiring longevity.