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It all started with Adam and Eve.

If they hadn’t eaten that apple, older people wouldn’t have to worry about driving at night or bending over to pick up a bar of soap in the shower. We were all set to live forever, and then, the forbidden fruit disguised as an apple took away our immortality. It must have been a Honeycrisp.

Andy Rooney said this about aging, "I’ve learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes."

And Jerry Seinfeld said, "You know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It's like, 'See if you can blow this out.'"

So now I look in the mirror and say, "John, you’re getting older."

That’s undoubtedly true, but you know, I don’t feel old, and I certainly hope I don’t act old. I have learned to stay young while getting older.

I suppose for every book on dieting, there’s a book on how to stay young. Many of those books are health-related, which is a huge topic today. Television advertisements promote the benefits of taking vitamins, purchasing insurance or installing walk-in showers, endorsed by golden oldie Joe Namath. Investors are taking advantage of senior citizens and making substantial profits. Perhaps individuals over 85 should receive a portion of these profits as compensation for growing old.

Have you noticed that the older you get, the more inclined you are to read the obituaries? When I open the paper to the obit section and don’t see my name, I say, "Well, I made it another day."

To make it another day, you need a plan of action. Routines are important, and I am not talking about sitting in the recliner at 5 p.m. every day to watch Andy Griffith. I am talking about purposeful routines. Why? They give us something to look forward to, and we feel good when we accomplish something.

My routine is no silver bullet, but it works for me. I get out of bed. Already, I’m off to a good start. I shower, do sit-ups and push-ups, make the bed, do some laundry if there is laundry to do, help Kathy get ready, prepare her coffee, maybe have some breakfast, record any dreams, and help her feed the dogs.

I am off to my office 10 feet across my deck and into the loft above the garage. I smell the fresh air as I step outside.

This routine helps me get started mentally. I feel better knowing I have accomplished something, especially my 50 push-ups. A few years ago, four-star admiral William McRaven (also a Navy Seal) gave a graduation address to the University of Texas and advised every graduate to start the day by making their bed. He said it was essential to start the day by accomplishing some task.

Exercise. How many articles have you read, and how often have relatives, friends and doctors told you about the importance of daily exercise? Everyone tells us to do it, so it must be important. We need to keep that blood circulating through our brain, and that’s what exercise does. Plus, we get to cross it off of our daily to-do list.

If it were not for my dogs, Simon and Simone, I would be a couch potato and look like one. They need their daily walk, and I accompany them. Simon is getting old and has arthritis, so I go slow, and he follows behind. Sometimes, he will lie down and catch his breath. Maybe he does it because he thinks I need to do the same. Pets add years to our lives.

We walk for 15 or 20 minutes, and then they are ready to go inside and nap. I am ready to sit down and read a book. As the days get warmer, they will spend more time outdoors in the fresh air, and I will, too.

Just a little exercise is better than no exercise. If you are sitting in a chair, moving your arms, shoulders, hands, legs and feet is good. Do it a couple of times a day.

You will be happy to hear this. I recently heard an "expert" on health and staying young say it is better to be overweight than a bit underweight. The expert also said having a glass of wine daily is good. You have heard that before. I would rather have a glass of Coca-Cola but try not to do it after mid-day due to the caffeine.

The most important thing about staying young is feeling young despite what you see in the mirror. Your attitude is critical. Do you have a positive outlook on life, or are you a cynic? Do you believe your best days are yet to come, or do you need to make an appointment with a mortician? Do you smile and laugh every day? Do you help someone every day?

Because I am working with some teachers in Guatemala, Kathy is helping me to brush up on my Spanish. It is essential to keep learning something, and there are many opportunities today to do so. One of my favorite sayings is, "I learned a lot since I knew it all."

We are never too old to stop learning something. Plus, learning is fun.

Maybe more than anything else about staying young and feeling young is to do something purposeful for others. We don’t need cannabis to give us an artificial high; you can experience a natural high by helping others.

Here’s one more tip on staying young. This elderly lady walks into a bar and reads the menu, which says "Karaoke Tonight." She asks the waiter, "What kind of fish is that?" Keep on singing.

Riddle: Why are secrets always safe with your older friends? Answer: Because they can’t remember them. By keeping active, having a positive attitude, helping others, and learning something daily, you won’t have to worry about remembering everything because you will find more important things to do.

I want to thank the Bemidji Pioneer for writing a Dropout Prevention Hotline story.

John R. Eggers of Bemidji is a former university professor and area principal. He also is a writer and public speaker.