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Hattie Flowers can’t explain how or why she has lived to celebrate 100 years.

“I guess I must have done something that was pleasing in God’s sight because I’ve not done anything to be so blessed,” said Miss Hattie, as she is affectionately know in her hometown of Brundidge. “God is good and He has been so good to me. I know how blessed I am.”

Hattie Flowers celebrated her 100th birthday on March 4, 2022, and continued to celebrate on Sunday at Brundidge Station. There, she was surrounded by more family members and friends than could be counted.

“I looked around at all those that have been a part of my life and I thanked God for them and for letting me be a part of their lives,” Flowers said.

Family members came from as far as New Jersey for “Miss Hattie’s special day” in her hometown.

“Much of my family moved away from Brundidge but I’ve lived right here most all my life,” Flowers said. “I did move down to Florida but I didn’t stay long. I wanted to go back home. Back to Brundidge and I’ve been blessed to be here all this time. I don’t know of any place else I’d want to be.”

Flowers grew up in a family of 11 children and on the Dickerson farm in Brundidge.

“We worked picking cotton, shaking peanuts and all the other farm work that had to be done,” she said. “We only went to school for seven months so we could be out to work.

“But we had a good time playing out in the yard and going visiting. It was wonderful.”

Church has always been a part of Flowers’ life. She is a longtime member of County Line Missionary Baptist Church.

“I learned at church and at home that God expected us to care about each other and to help people out when they were down,” Flowers said. “When I was growing up, five or six years old, and somebody was sick, giving them a drink of water was all I could do but I wanted to do something.”

Flowers said she has lived her life according to her raising and what she was taught from the Bible.

“The Bible says to live for today because you are not promised tomorrow,” she said. “God has blessed me with many tomorrows and I try to live each day as it comes. Sometimes, I find myself worrying about things that sadden my heart. But worrying takes me in the wrong direction and I say, ‘Worry takes you away from God, Hattie. “Get over it.’”

Flowers said she is saddened by the world situation. “People have changed. Our country is going  in the wrong direction. We’ve got to pull together and put ourselves in God’s hands. We don’t need guns; we need prayer.”

“Miss Hattie” did share a few tips on living to be 100.

“I never thought about living to be 100 years. I just tried to live every day the best I could,” she said. “I take life day by day and do the best I can every day. I thank God for every day. I do my part by exercising, by walking around in the yard; I eat a lot of vegetables and not too much meat. I go to church and help people if I can. I try to be a blessing to others just as so many have been a blessing to me. I love my family, my friends and my town and pray for all of them. I thank God for every day and for the many days He has given me.”

Hattie Flowers said it’s hard for her to believe that she is 100 years old.

“One hundred years? But, then, I look in the mirror and I say, ‘Hattie, I believe you look a hundred years old!’ Then, I smile that God has blessed me in such a wonderful way – with family and friends and my hometown and with 100 wonderful years of life.”