You don’t have to be a true crime fan to feel the weight of this exercise. We all have our own “how old would they be now?” moments—for a lost friend, a relative, or even a version of ourselves. Here is how to handle that mental time-travel without getting stuck.
Lean into the mundane. Instead of picturing grand milestones, imagine small, boring things. What would their favorite coffee order be? What song would they sing in the shower? Making it ordinary makes the grief less theatrical, and more human.
Set a timer for three minutes. It sounds silly, but giving yourself a strict window to contemplate the “what if” can stop the spiral. When the buzzer goes off, shift your attention to a simple sensory task: touch a soft fabric, smell a candle, or stretch your neck. Grief doesn’t need to be a marathon.
Fun Fact: The Global Age Trend
Here’s a light one for you. Madeleine is one of the most Googled missing people in history. If you type “how old would” into a search engine, the autocomplete immediately suggests “Madeleine McCann be now.” That’s not morbid—it’s a testament to how a single unsolved case can lodge itself in the collective brain.
How old would Madeleine McCann be now and what would she look like
Interestingly, the median age of missing persons cases in the UK is around 25 to 35—mostly adults who wander off or face personal crises. Children like Madeleine are statistically rare, which is why their birthdays become strange public holidays. Every May 12th, the internet holds its breath for a moment.
