| Prologue | 15 |
| Have a Gin and Tonic with a Friend | 25 |
| I've known my best friend since we were eight years old. I live in Stockholm and Lola lives in Nice, but we have lovely drinks together, even during the pandemic. | |
| The World is Always Ending | 41 |
| I have lived through World War II, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis., Chernobyl - and now climate change. Here's how to cope with eighty years of constant doom and hold on to your sense of humor. | |
| Don't Leave Empty-Handed | 77 |
| While of course none of us can "take it with us" after we are gone, while we are here there are so many ways to improve the world every day. I heard a little piece of advice decades ago that ended up being invaluable. | |
| I Died Seven Years Ago - But Lived | 89 |
| My near-death experience changed the way I look at life. | |
| Volunteer as Much as You Can | 104 |
| As you age you may have more free time than you expected. While the world may not be ending, it can always use a little extra boost. Get involved - it will help you and it will help the world. | |
| Take Care of Your Hair - If You Have Any | 139 |
| When you are eighty you will have wrinkles, you will walk slower, you are not twenty anymore. But having nice hair is a sign that you are still in the game. | |
| Treat Little Children, Big Children (And Grandchildren) as You Want to be Treated | 155 |
| Little children really do often say the funniest things, and if you listen carefully you'll realize sometimes they are quite wise about life. Big children - ok, adults - like to be listened to too, and if you listen to them, you'll never have to worry that the young won't make time for you. | |
| Don't Fall Over and Other Practical Tips for Graceful Aging | 165 |
| I fell over and it wasn't fun. Here's how to cope if you fall. And what to do so as not to. | |
| Take Care of Something Every Day | 181 |
| On having pets and keeping plants. | |
| Keep an Open Mind | 191 |
| I've found that having a closed mind to new things ages me and my friends more quickly than anything else. I've also realized later in life that I now only regret the things I said no to. Make sure to always say yes, so tu ne regrettes rien. | |
| Eat Chocolate | 225 |
| No explanation needed. | |
| The Habit of Kärt Besvär | 238 |
| A Swedish approach - well, actually, just my approach - for aging happily. | |
| Wear Stripes | 247 |
| Stripes look good on men, women, children, and me. Stripes never go out of style - so they are cheap in the long run. Stripes may not make you look younger. But you do not look older. | |
| Surround Yourself with the Young(er) or Busvissla to Your Younger Self | 258 |
| A lot of people past eighty complain about "today's youth." I don't. I like to have them around. They have new thoughts; they keep my brain fresh. They are a constant reminder that it is never too late to do anything, unless it really is too late (and you are dead). Until then, I still hope to tap-dance. | |
| Appendix: Bonus Thoughts and Tips on Death Cleaning | 273 |
| How to Broach One of Life's Most Important Topics with Your Loved Ones. | |
| The World May Always Be Ending, but Spring Cleaning Always Arrives … Until the Day It Doesn't. | |
| Death-Cleaning Discoveries in the Time of Covid and Answers to Other Questions I Have Received from Curious Novice Death Cleaners. | |
| Acknowledgments | 295 |
