able to articulate your sense of purpose, have daily rituals that reverse the stress of everyday living, have a little wine at 5:00, eat mostly a plant-based diet, especially beans and nuts, eat a huge breakfast. belong to a faith-based community, put your family first, keep your aging parents nearby and curate a special group of friends, four or five friends who are going to nudge you in the right direction. right there will give you six or seven years of life expectancy. >> but as we try to steal the lessons of ikaria, i can't help but wonder how long this blue zone can remain this pristine. and if it changes, will anyone notice? the poet w.h. auden pointed out this annoying bit of human nature by pointing at the painting of our foolish boy icarus and how everything turns away quite leisurely from the disaster.