Centenarian Profile
Consolacion Benemerito
Age: 104
Born: August 22, 1908
Buena Park, CA
United States
United States
In the last 100 years, what invention had the most impact on your life? Why?
Electricity is the most important invention. For without it, we would live in a world of darkness. No lights for our homes, no lights for streets to regulate traffic and no TV or radio to hear the big band music of old that I used to love. Doctors will not be able to operate on patients without electricity. Think how electricity helps us every moment of our lives.
What was your favorite decade? Why?
The forties was a favorite decade for me because I was happily married to my one and only husband Melchior who was a medical doctor, who donated his time to treat the needy. He was a philanthropist and a great humanitarian. He died after seven years of marriage and I never remarried because God gave me this wonderful man to love me.
What advice would you give to a high school graduate today?
Get an education. It is very important to have one. Feed your brains instead of your face. Use the knowledge in your brain that God gave you. Strengthen your faith and belief in the Almighty for without HIM we are nothing. Go to mass on Sundays and live your life according to the Ten Commandments. Learn and live respect. Use it often. Develop kindness; it will make your heart and soul happy. Be aware of other people's needs and lend a hand. A touch will go a long, long way. Live a good life; do not be tempted to follow the crowd. Prison is full of inmates who followed the crowd and they will spend the rest of their lives living in captivity like animals. Pray daily, give gratitude to the lord who gave you life...this should be your first priority. Give thanks, smile, say a kind word everyday to someone. Learn the word thank you. The world needs love and caring more than ever. Think of Jesus who gave and thank your Savior who died for you with his redeeming love.
What is the most important lesson you learned in your life?
The most important lesson I learned in my life is to be kind in word, thought and deed. It is obvious there is so much unkindness in this world. If we learn to be kind to each other, to be kind means to love, we would have no wars. Wars are caused by pride, vanity and greed for money and power. Let us all be kind and pray for others who are unkind. This is the most important lesson for everyone to learn. Think of Jesus, he was humble and kind. He is kind to me forgiving me all my sins everyday. My daughter and her family and my great grandkids are all kind; thank goodness.
What leader in the past century impressed you the most? Why?
The person I revered most was General Douglas MacArthur. He and his brave American soldiers liberated the Philippines in 1946. I also include Mother Teresa though she was not a political leader but more of a spiritual leader who did the world much good with her acts of kindness. As for the current leaders, in my old eyes, I cannot see anyone worth mentioning leading us to a magnificent and conflict-free future.
