The Duration of Life

In the very beginning, when the world was newly created and all living creatures were still fresh from the hand of their Maker, God called together all the beings He had brought into existence for a very important meeting. This gathering took place in a magnificent celestial court, where the throne of the Almighty was surrounded by clouds of glory and the light of divine wisdom shone down upon all who were present.

Representatives from every species of animal, bird, fish, and insect were there, along with the first human beings, Adam and Eve, who stood among the assembled creatures as the crown of God’s creation. There were majestic lions with their golden manes, graceful deer with their gentle eyes, industrious bees with their busy wings, wise elephants with their ancient memories, and countless other creatures, each beautiful and perfect in its own unique way.

The purpose of this grand assembly was for God to determine how many years of life each type of creature should be given. This was no small matter, for the duration of life would affect not only how long each creature would exist upon the earth, but also how they would live, what they would accomplish, and what their purpose would be in the great tapestry of creation.

God, in His infinite wisdom and fairness, had originally planned to give every single creature exactly the same lifespan. “My beloved creations,” He announced in a voice that resonated through all of heaven and earth, “I have decided that each of you shall live for thirty years upon the earth. This will give you sufficient time to experience the joys of existence, to fulfill your purpose in creation, and to appreciate the gift of life that I have given you.”

When this announcement was made, there was initially a murmur of satisfaction from the assembled creatures. Thirty years seemed like a reasonable amount of time—long enough to grow up, to learn the ways of the world, to raise offspring, and to contribute to the ongoing story of creation.

However, as the various creatures began to consider this decision more carefully, some of them started to have concerns about whether thirty years was really the right amount of time for their particular circumstances and needs.

The first to speak up was the donkey, who stepped forward from among the assembled animals with a somewhat plaintive expression on his long, gentle face. “Most gracious Creator,” the donkey said in his humble but earnest voice, “I am deeply grateful for the gift of life that You have given me. However, I must respectfully point out that the life You have planned for me is not an easy one.”

God listened with patience and kindness as the donkey continued his appeal. “You have made me to be a beast of burden,” the donkey explained. “Every day of my life, I will be expected to carry heavy loads from place to place. I will toil under the hot sun and struggle through difficult terrain. My back will ache from the weight I carry, my hooves will become sore from walking on rocky paths, and I will often be hungry and thirsty while I work for my human masters.”

The donkey paused for a moment, as if gathering courage to make his request. “Thirty years of such hardship seems like a very long time to me. Would it be possible for me to have a shorter life? Perhaps eighteen years would be sufficient for a creature such as myself.”

God considered the donkey’s request with compassion. He understood that the life of a working animal would indeed be filled with toil and hardship, and He could see the wisdom in the donkey’s desire for a shorter existence if it meant less suffering overall.

“Very well,” God replied kindly. “If thirty years seems too long for the life I have planned for you, then you may have eighteen years instead. But tell me, what shall I do with the twelve years that you no longer want?”

The donkey, relieved to have his request granted, replied gratefully, “Please, Creator, give those extra years to someone who will appreciate them more than I would. Perhaps there is another creature who would find good use for the time that I do not need.”

No sooner had the donkey finished speaking than the dog bounded forward eagerly, his tail wagging with enthusiasm. Dogs, being naturally generous and optimistic creatures, often saw opportunities where others saw problems.

“Oh, gracious Creator,” the dog said, panting slightly with excitement, “thirty years would be wonderful for me! I love life so much—I love running and playing, I love being with my human companions, I love protecting my family and exploring new places. Every day is an adventure for me, and I would be happy to live for thirty years or even longer!”

But then the dog’s expression became more thoughtful as he considered his circumstances more carefully. “However,” he continued, “I must admit that the life You have planned for me does have its challenges. I will spend my days guarding my master’s house, which means I will often have to bark at strangers and chase away intruders. I will need to be alert and vigilant at all times, which can be exhausting. And as I grow older, my teeth will become worn from gnawing on bones, my hearing may fail, and my legs may become stiff and painful.”

The dog looked up at God with his faithful, trusting eyes. “Perhaps twenty-four years would be better for me than thirty. That would still give me plenty of time to enjoy life and serve my masters well, but it would spare me some of the difficulties that come with old age.”

God smiled at the dog’s honest assessment of his situation. “You have spoken wisely,” He said. “Twenty-four years shall be your portion, and I will take back the six years you do not want.”

Now the ape stepped forward, swinging gracefully from one of the golden trees that grew in the celestial court. Apes were known for their cleverness and their ability to mimic others, and this particular ape had been watching the proceedings with great interest.

“Most wonderful Creator,” the ape said, performing an elaborate bow that made some of the other animals chuckle, “I have been listening to my fellow creatures, and I believe I understand the situation. You offer us thirty years of life, but my friends here have found that to be more than they actually want.”

The ape paused dramatically, clearly enjoying being the center of attention. “Now, I must say that I am quite fond of life myself. I enjoy swinging through the trees, playing tricks on my friends, and making others laugh with my antics. I love learning new things and showing off my intelligence. Thirty years of such fun sounds delightful to me!”

But then the ape’s expression became more serious. “However, I must also consider what my life will actually be like. You have made me to be an entertainer and a curiosity for humans. They will want me to perform tricks for their amusement, to dance and jump and make funny faces. At first, this might be enjoyable, but after many years, it could become tiresome and undignified.”

The ape scratched his head thoughtfully. “I think perhaps twenty years would be the perfect amount of time for me. That would give me enough years to enjoy my youth and entertain others, but it would not drag on so long that I become weary of performing.”

“Very well,” said God, who was beginning to see a pattern in these requests. “Twenty years you shall have, and I will keep the ten years you do not want.”

Finally, it was time for the human beings to speak. Adam and Eve had been listening to this entire conversation with great interest, and they had been whispering together quietly, discussing what they had heard.

Adam stepped forward to address the Creator. “Lord,” he said respectfully, “we have heard our fellow creatures make their requests, and we understand their reasoning. Each of them has chosen a lifespan that seems appropriate for the kind of life they will lead.”

Eve joined her husband and added, “We have been thinking about our own situation. You have given us minds capable of learning and growing throughout our lives. You have made us capable of building, creating, loving, and understanding. You have given us the ability to improve ourselves and our world over time.”

Adam nodded and continued, “Thirty years seems like it might not be enough time for us to fully develop all the abilities You have given us, to learn all there is to learn, and to accomplish all the good things we might be able to do. We would be honored to live longer, if such a thing is possible.”

God looked upon the first humans with approval. Unlike the animals, who had asked for less time due to the hardships they would face, the humans were asking for more time because they saw the potential for growth and accomplishment in their lives.

“I am pleased with your request,” God said warmly. “It shows that you value the gift of life and that you wish to make the most of the abilities I have given you. Therefore, I grant you not only your original thirty years, but also the twelve years that the donkey did not want, the six years that the dog declined, and the ten years that the ape chose not to use.”

The humans bowed deeply in gratitude. “Thank You, Creator,” they said in unison. “We will use these seventy years wisely and well.”

And so it was that the final distribution of lifespans was settled. The donkey would live for eighteen years, the dog for twenty-four years, the ape for twenty years, and human beings for seventy years.

But this redistribution of years came with an unexpected consequence that God, in His wisdom, allowed to take effect as a way of teaching humanity an important lesson about life and character.

For the first thirty years of a human being’s life—the years that were originally meant for humanity alone—people are generally happy, healthy, and full of energy. These are the years of childhood, youth, and early adulthood, when everything seems possible and the future stretches out ahead like an unlimited adventure. During this time, humans are at their best: they are optimistic, eager to learn, full of hope and ambition, and ready to take on the world.

But then come the twelve years that originally belonged to the donkey—roughly from age thirty to forty-two. During these years, humans begin to experience something of the donkey’s burden. They must work hard to support themselves and their families, often doing jobs that are demanding and sometimes tedious. They carry the weight of responsibility on their shoulders, much as the donkey carries physical burdens. These are years of toil and effort, when people must be practical and hardworking, putting aside some of their youthful dreams in order to meet their obligations.

Next come the six years that the dog gave up—approximately from age forty-two to forty-eight. During this period, humans often become protective and sometimes suspicious, much like a guard dog. They may bark angrily at things that threaten their security or their family’s well-being. They become more set in their ways and less trusting of new ideas or unfamiliar people. Like an aging dog, they may become a bit snappy and irritable, especially when they feel that their territory or their loved ones are being threatened.

Finally come the ten years that belonged to the ape—roughly from age forty-eight to fifty-eight. During this time, humans often become somewhat ridiculous in the eyes of younger people. They may try to recapture their youth by acting in ways that seem foolish or inappropriate. Like performing apes, they may seek attention and approval in ways that make others laugh at them rather than with them. They may become eccentric or engage in behavior that amuses others but doesn’t necessarily reflect well on their dignity.

After these borrowed years have passed, humans who live beyond the age of fifty-eight enter into a new phase of life where they can once again be themselves, drawing on all the wisdom and experience they have gained through their various stages of existence.

This story explains not only why human beings live longer than many other creatures, but also why human life seems to go through such distinct phases, each with its own characteristics and challenges. It reminds us that every stage of life has its purpose and its value, even those periods that may seem difficult or undignified.

The donkey years teach us the importance of hard work and perseverance. The dog years teach us to be protective of what we value and to be cautious about potential threats. The ape years teach us not to take ourselves too seriously and remind us that dignity comes not from avoiding all foolishness, but from learning to laugh at ourselves and find joy even in life’s more ridiculous moments.

Most importantly, this tale teaches us that the different characteristics we see in people at different stages of their lives are not flaws or failings, but rather natural consequences of the way life itself is structured. Understanding this can help us be more patient with others and with ourselves as we navigate the various seasons of our existence.

And so, whenever we see an older person acting in ways that remind us of a stubborn donkey, a snappy dog, or a silly ape, we can remember this story and understand that they are simply living through the years that were originally meant for those creatures. Rather than judging them harshly, we can appreciate that they are working their way through the full human experience, using all seventy years they were given to learn, grow, and contribute to the world in their own unique way.

The moral of this story is that every stage of life has its own character and purpose, and that understanding the natural progression of human development can help us accept both our own changes and those of others with greater compassion and wisdom.