Humans today live longer than ever. Despite hunger and disease, life is much better and healthier than 150 years ago.

Or is it?

It probably is, though people in parts of Asia, Africa, South America, the Mideast and other places ravaged by natural disasters and political strife may disagree. Chances are still good that their lives, however corrupt and miserable, are better than that of relatives living less than two centuries ago.

Why?

There’s room for argument here, but one reason is diet. Another is medicine. Another is that the world hasn’t succumbed to a worldwide disease in about 100 years.

How does one go about a life that is long and prosperous?

Genes play a part. After all, we can only do with what we have. A long life is dependent upon a number of factors beyond our control, but within our domain.

Accidents take lives and end the road to prosperity. All accidents cannot be prevented, accidents being what they are. However, people can live modest lives, take common sense precautions, and the law of big numbers being what it is, will allow the average man or woman a few more years.

All disease cannot be prevented, though many can be overcome, especially the life-threatening variety. Again, common sense in matters of hygiene adds years and improve the quality of life for most who make cleanliness, if not next to Godliness, at least nearby.

There’s nothing wrong with brushing your teeth before bed at 80 (assuming there’s something to brush), and it’s as beneficial as it was during kindergarten.

From what I can tell of my eight decades on planet Earth, living long and prospering has as much to do with attitude and coincidence as it does to circumstance and planning. In other words, a good attitude about each day of life goes a long way to reducing the number of inevitable negative coincidences and circumstances. Add a dash of common sense planning, and, well, life is better.

Living long and prospering is a process, not an event.