Gertrude Williams celebrated her 111th birthday on January 14, a milestone that very few people on earth ever get to see. Her words of wisdom are inspiring many today.
Most of us spend our days looking for the next best way to stay healthy. We try different diets or spend hours in the gym because we want to feel young for as long as possible.
It is just part of being human to want more time with the people we love. But Gertrude’s secret to a long and happy life is much simpler than many think.
Gertrude was born back in 1915 when the world looked much different. Woodrow Wilson was in the White House and her hometown of Winter Haven had only been a city for four years. She spent her life working as a nanny.
One of the children she raised was Dean King. He is in his 70s now but he still calls her a second mother. She even helped him care for his own mother when she got sick with Alzheimer’s. That is the kind of heart she has.
The party at Vivo Healthcare felt like a family reunion. Her cousins actually traveled all the way from Connecticut to surprise her. When they walked in, the tears started flowing.
Even at 111, Gertrude is sharp. She remembers stories and knows exactly who people are. She spent years being a staple at her church. In fact, she credits her faith with the fact that she can walk again after she spent six years unable to use her legs.
People ask her all the time what the secret is to living so long. She doesn’t talk about diet or exercise first. She just says, “Trust in God. That’s the only one he made you.”
We can learn so much from her quiet strength. It’s a call for us to stop worrying so much about the number of our days and start focusing on the One who holds them.
WATCH: Supercentenarian Shares Her Wisdom on Living a Long Life
