Waking up at a young age gives a wonderful opportunity to have many many decades ahead to really live. But we never know for sure.
Someone who is 22 may die at 29. An older person at 72 may live happily to 95. So the young one only had 7 years to live while the elderly one lived 23 years.
The point being, that life is in the minutes. Not worrying about the chunks of time ahead but being fully present in the NOW.
Btw, I can say this as a person who has lived in 10 decades and still working, still planning, still growing .... and still feeling compassion for people. There is huge compassion & love throughout this thread that is so life confirming.........