Marie Rosa's only child, Cathie Sinisalo, jokes that being an only child is a rare distinction among the Italian families she knows.
Yet when she talks about her mother – who now holds the distinction of being Canada's oldest living person – Cathie says she never lacked for family. With 11 siblings on her mother's side, weekends meant a steady stream of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
"Mostly Saturdays was visiting my grandmother on my dad's side," Cathie recalls, "and then Sundays was visiting my grandparents on my mom's side."
Family connection wasn't something that had to be pencilled into a busy calendar – it was simply the rhythm of life. Those Sundays naturally became large gatherings.
"A lot more cousins would drop in with their kids... visiting Grandma and Grandpa on Sundays was a big deal," Cathie says. "It was really good on Sundays to see a lot of my cousins because otherwise I generally wouldn't because there's so many."
The food was simple and plentiful, and everyone had a place at the table.
"It didn't matter how many chairs there were for the table," Cathie says. "There were always more chairs, and the kitchen was for the kids and the adults were in the dining room."
Meals weren't rushed. They were meant to be shared.
"It would always be homemade pasta, homemade sauce... chicken maybe in the sauce, meatballs in the sauce, and bread, bread, bread."
Those memories resonate with what researchers have learned about healthy aging. While no one has uncovered a single formula for exceptional longevity, studies of the world's longest-lived populations consistently point to the importance of close family relationships, strong communities, a sense of belonging and regular opportunities to gather with people across generations.
Research into the world's "Blue Zones" – regions with exceptionally high numbers of centenarians – has found that people who live the longest often share much more than healthy diets or active lifestyles. They tend to stay deeply connected to family, neighbours, faith communities and lifelong friendships.
In mid-July, Cathie and generations of family and friends will gather at The Village of Humber Heights to celebrate Marie's remarkable milestone. She is among several centenarians at the Village, but her story will be added to a book that chronicles the lives of Canada's oldest people. It’s a rare honour for someone who has witnessed more than a century of history.
No one can say with certainty why Marie has lived to 110. Genetics, circumstance and healthy habits all play their part, no doubt. But listening to Cathie describe a childhood built around Sunday dinners, grandparents' homes filled with laughter and cousins who always seemed to appear, it's hard not to see the value of a life rich in connection.
Today, Cathie works to carry that tradition forward in her own family.
"I love it when they do all gather," she says of her own sons and grandchildren. "When I can get them, I take advantage of it."
Perhaps that's the simple lesson in Marie's extraordinary life: while there may never be a single secret to living longer, there is enduring importance in making time for one another. The meals eventually end, the children grow up and the generations change, but the simple act of gathering together may be one of the greatest gifts we can pass from one generation to the next.
