Here’s something that all those young zipper schnappers don’t know anything about. Despite their belief that they are the smartest, most athletic and most technologically advanced beings to ever walk the earth – they ain’t got nothing on Dick Van Dyke.

Ole Dick turned numero 100 on Saturday – and he’s not even old yet.

I grew up watching Dick V.D. on the tell-a-vision, and although I don’t watch tee-vee no mo, I can still watch the memories in my mind of him laughing, joking and dancing.

But did you know this? At age 40, DVD sustained his first injury while dancing on the set for the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He left the injury alone, figuring it would heal on its own, but after a few days he decided to go see the doctor.

The doctor told Dick he had the worst case of arthritis he had even seen on a single person. To which he replied, “How about for a married person?”

The doctor then forecasted that Dick would soon be in need of a cane, and that soon afterward would be in a wheelchair.

And upon hearing this “schnews,” he got up and to the doctor’s astonishment, he began dancing.

That was 60 years ago.

One of Dick Van Dyke’s secrets for living a long life is not just optimism, it is movement. Daily physical movement – which in my book would include the bowels.

Get up and move. Don’t let your mind or your body deteriorate.

Dancing is one of the ways to keep your body young for life. And did you know that the practice of Tai Chi is both a dance and a martial art?

And when you call it Badass Tai Chi, as I have, it’s so much better than being a “sorry ass.”

Badass means you are kicking ass and taking names, no matter what your age.

I never thought I’d say it this way, but instead of the telling people, “Don’t be a dick,” I’m now going to tell people to “be like Dick.”

Dick Van Dyke – 100 years and still getting after it.

How bout that?

Matt Furey