100 YEARS IS NOT FOREVER A MEMOIR OF INHERITANCE, CRAFT, AND PRESENCE

In a world that equates speed with success, an adult child races through life in a city far from their rural roots, tethered to devices and deadlines. Their father, a craftsman who lived by the principle "hurry slowly," taught them to measure twice and cut once, but they've traded his patient wisdom for the relentless pace of modern productivity. When their father's death calls them back to the family home, they confront a profound loss—not just of him, but of the grounded life he embodied.

Tasked with settling the estate, the protagonist discovers their father's meticulously organised workshop, handwritten notes brimming with insights on craft and patience, and an unfinished project meant for them. These relics reveal a stark contrast: while they chased an ever-receding finish line, their father built something enduring through deliberate, meaningful acts. Shaken by regret and yearning for connection, they choose to stay, picking up his tools to complete his work and unravel the meaning of his mantra, "100 years is not forever."

As they navigate estate disputes, professional pressures, and a changed hometown, the protagonist grapples with ingrained habits of haste and the fear that slowing down means falling behind. Learning their father's methods— working at the pace of wood grain and in sync with seasonal rhythms—they confront their emotional numbness and rediscover the sensory world. With no guarantee of answers, they balance the demands of their former life against the possibility that careful attention might forge a new path. Lyrical and contemplative, 100 Years Is Not Forever explores the tension between acceleration and intention, asking how we measure a life well-lived.