Eternal Life

I don't know how old I was, when I learned, that we all - including myself - have to die one day. But I do remember, that I did not really believe it. Or want to believe it. I have always had a fear of death. And I am still not exactly looking forward to my last day, but I have realised that the alternative is not necessarily a good thing either.
Eternal life. Sounds good at first glance. Maybe. Maybe if you are a vampire, if you don't age, if you have something that will keep you hooked eternally ... wait ... what would that be? No hobby, I think. Imagine being an immortal tennis player. Even if you have eternal youth to boot, I am sure the decline of your interest and a massive tennis arm are premeditated. Imagine you have been pursuing chess for over 350 years. You know every charade by heart, few surprises left and you must be feeling heartily sick of black and white.
One of my friends grandfathers has reached a very high age of - I don't know 108 or so (still ongoing as far as I know). I hear he is not really overjoyed by his longevity. And if you think about - why would he be? Imagine something like this: The last of your pals died over 20 years ago and you have to witness the death of all of your five children (who says just because you age to over 100, your children do as well?) . Your bones ache (no eternal youth here!), no one takes you serious, you don't understand half a thing when you open the newspaper, watch TV or try to follow the conversions of the currently active generations (politicians come and go and wtf is a computer?). It would not be your world anymore. I think I would feel out of place, underappreciated, lost and deserted. And most of all I would miss the people I love.

Here I have a picture for you showing Minegawa Yone who passed away August 2007 at the age of 114. She still seemed quite fit for her age. But how many elderly people aren't and are plagued by pains here or there, by incontentinence, dementia and young relatives who only come to visit because they hope to get a decent share out of the inheritence in your hopefully-not-to-far-away future? Does that sound like fun? Not to me.
Maybe I could put up with some of the disadvantages. Maybe I would be lucky and stay healthy with only minor complaints, maybe I could manage to stay mentally sound and fit and keep up with technology, but if I imagine that I might have to see my children die before me, I really know that eternal life is not for me - unless I can share it with my family and friends.