Dr. Gladys McGarey is a holistic doctor, author, and advice giver when asked. Currently she can be found on Youtube answering the common question of “if you could tell a younger person anything what would it be?” McGarey is now 104 years old and still excited by life and her purpose. She has written about the 5 L’s for a long and happy life: Life, love, laughter, labor and listening.

Life itself: “As you pay attention to life itself, life is like a seed. It has a shell around it. It has all the energy of the universe within it,” says McGarey. But life can’t change for the better without being activated by us first.
Love: “Love is the activating factor. It cracks the shell,” she says. “It’s the whole aspect of life as we come into it and take our first breath.” Love feeds into the remaining aspects of what makes life meaningful.
Laughter: “Laughter without love is cruel. It’s mean [and] cold,” McGarey says. “But laughter with love is joy and happiness.”
Labor: “Labor without love is drudgery. ‘I gotta go to work’ or ‘They’re too many diapers,’” she says. “Labor with love is bliss. It’s why a singer sings, why a painter paints, why I became a doctor. It’s what juices you up. It’s what makes you really know: ‘This is who the inner core of me is.’” Pay attention to what drives you, she adds.
Listening: “Listening without love is empty sound,” says McGarey. “But listening with love is understanding.” When you’re able to find people who understand you and what your purpose is, life becomes more fulfilling and you can go on to do the same for others.

According to McGarey, really until our last breath these 5 L’s remain the key to living fully and well. Check her out on youtube. She’s got a beautiful braided crown of hair as she gestures excitedly about living with love, light and purpose.