I heard Dick Van Dyke on the radio today. His third wife is less than half his age, but they sounded like quite a team! His positive energy and philosophy of
just keep moving was energetic, even at the age of 90. So when I saw his book at the library, I picked it up with the image in my mind of his chimney sweep character from Mary Poppins.
Read this book! It's for everyone at every age.
Here are a few excerpts I enjoyed:
Re: putting childish ways behind, while living life with childlike openness and enthusiasm, he says, "I take that to mean willfulness, self-centredness, and things like that - not imagination, creativity, and joyful curiosity."
Re: moderation in diet " I say eat whatever you want, whenever you want...in moderation, of course. Or not in moderation if it is a special occasion, like lunch or dinner or a snack in between meals."
Also, " At the end of the day I have dessert. I always have dessert. I don't skip it, and neither should you"!
Quoting pianist Eubie Blake at 99, " If I'd know I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself". His advice, " Plan on living long, and start when you're young so that by the time you're my age, the right diet and exercise and other good habits are second nature."
Re: his daily to-do list, " I am a maintenance man for my own life. Actually, as I thinking about it, that's a job one should assume and take more seriously with age. Take care of things at home."
Quoting Shakespeare, "Our remedies often in ourselves do lie, which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky", and from King Lear, "Love is not love when it is mingled with regards that stand aloof from the entire point".
His NOT To-Do list
1. Do not forget to exercise.
2. Do not stop being curious.,
3. Do not forget to try new things - even a new flavour of ice cream will do.
Songs to sing right now: Jolly Holiday, Carolina in the Morning, Simple Melody (Bing and Gary Crosby), On a Wonderful Day Like Today, I wish I was in Love Again
Songs to dance to right now: Jolly Holiday, Tea for Two, Cheek to Cheek (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in
Top Hat), What is This Thing Called Love?, Take the A Train
My favorite idea:
"As the instigator of the
Gray Revolution, I suggest ignoring the anti-aging tips that are so prevalent in the media and search for
pro-aging tips."
Quoting Friedrich Nietzsche: "It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."
Quoting Albert Einstein: " Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity. "
Quoting old English proverb:
'Tis a lesson you should heed:
Try, try, try again.
If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try, try again.
Quoting Watts re. "the wisdom of insecurity"; In order to live with less anxiety and a freer mind, you have to accept that insecurity is the rule. The best you could do was be fully present in the here and now - and get ready to be surprised.
