When Olivia de Havilland, who later played Melanie in Gone with the Wind, was born, on July 1, 1916, the world was a very different place. World War I was still being fought, BMW had just been founded, the Boy Scouts of America were only 1-month old and the world’s first radio news program was still 4 years away!

Today, Olivia de Havilland turns 100 and, on behalf of the Sixty and Me community I wanted to wish her a very happy birthday!

Of course, many of us remember Olivia de Havilland for her role in Gone with the Wind, but, did you know that she actually appeared in 49 feature films, including The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Heiress, To Each His Own and many more!

Olivia de Havilland Has Some Great Healthy Aging Advice

I always have to giggle when centenarians attribute their good health to things like “drinking a lot of ginger ale,” “taking naps every day,” or even “having a drink of scotch every evening.”

Olivia de Havilland’s advice, by comparison, seems quite sensible. She once said to Vanity Fair that she follows “three L’s” in her life. These are “love, laughter and light.”

I love how much wisdom is packed into these three words. Love, to me, represents our innate desire as humans to stay connected with those around us. We don’t just want more people in our lives. We want the right people in our lives!

Laughter is also super important, especially as we get a little older. So many things about the aging process can be frustrating, or even heartbreaking. Learning to keep a sense of humor is essential to getting the most from life after 60.

Finally, Olivia de Havilland is right on the money when she talks about the importance of “light” for healthy aging. I know some 60-year-olds who spend their entire day inside, watching TV. These men and women tend to look and feel much older than they are. Those older adults who get out into the world, every single day, tend to have more positive outlooks on life and find healthy aging easier to attain.

Thank you Olivia de Havilland for reminding us that age really is just a number. I am definitely going to try to pay attention to the “three L’s” today. I’m going to go see some friends, watch a funny movie and go for a walk. What are you going to do?

Let’s all wish Olivia de Havilland a very happy 100^th birthday!

Which of Olivia de Havilland’s film roles do you remember most vividly? Do you like her “three L’s” health aging advice? Let’s give her a big Sixty and Me Happy Birthday!

Photo credit: Wikipedia.