SOLOMON, CLARK GABLE AND AGE “59”
SOLOMON, CLARK GABLE AND AGE “59”
by James A. Marples
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It never ceases to amaze me how historical timelines can really paint a dynamic picture of world events. People and places who seemed to be in our consciousness forever, sometimes placed their footprint on our planet a comparative few years. Let us rejoice that they came to be.
The one man who lived to age “59” who surprised me most was the venerable King Solomon. Of all the patriarchs in the Holy Bible who lived long lives, I assumed Solomon had lived hundreds of years. Not so. In his 59 years of life, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He was a mighty King of Israel, remembered for his wisdom, and he is worth remembering.
One Hollywood actor who had graced the silver screen was the flamboyant actor Clark Gable. In the epic 1939 film, “Gone With The Wind”, he uttered the then shocking phrase: “Frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn”. But, in real life Clark Cable did give a hoot. His career spanned decades and his legacy lives on.
Another famous figure from that same movie was Hattie McDaniel born in 1893 in Wichita, Kansas. She made the role of ‘Mammy’ in the film, her own signature character.
An iconic figure who lived to “59” was William-the-Conqueror. He is best known for his ironhanded and swashbuckling style crossing from Normandy into modern-day Britain and being an ancestor of the present King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Another fearless leader of men was the Indian Chief Sitting Bull. He was the spiritual and political leader of the Sioux Indians who devastated General George Custer at the battle of Little Big Horn. After the battle, he garnered respect by people on both sides of the conflict for his courage by joining Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show.
Thus, many people who lived to age “59” were diverse and their memories live on. They packed a lot of “life” into the years Almighty God gave them.
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