What Prolongs Life?

Let me try to explain this phenomena—maybe to myself as well: what prolongs life?When we are born we are given, let us say, 75 years of life. It is, I believe, genetically determined. It is like being given a bank account with 75 units of life energy in it. Whatever consumes that fixed energy more rapidly shortens our life. And whatever adds energy prolongs life.My observations:To hate, to worry, consumes energy. It shortens our life.Love however gives energy. It thus prolongs life.Look at people in love. They are radiant. With energy.Look at people that hate. They look washed out. Depressed.When we love we feel happy and positive about life. I am not talking only about romantic love. I am talking about loving certain music, or art, or a certain view of the countryside; or even a good conversation. Whatever would make us say, “I loved it!”When you love deeply, truly, totally, from the whole heart, you have no doubts, no negative thoughts—you feel totally absorbed and integrated with the object, or the experience, of your love. You are one. At that moment you lose all sense of time and space. It is orgasmic.This integration with the sublime gives energy.I believe that what causes energy to be depleted or conserved is directly related to how integrated a system is.Love, which is a manifestation of integration, prolongs life. Hate shortens life; it is a manifestation of dis-integration.It is not happenstance that a diamond represents love. It is the strongest stone because it is the most “integrated” stone.To have faith, to have hope, to serve others out of love, is not altruistic. It is self-serving. It prolongs your life.I gave a presentation at an anti-aging medical convention in Las Vegas some years ago. Five thousand medical doctors. All the presentations were on medical subjects: what prolongs life and what shortens it. The exhibit hall had thousands of creams and devices and supplements that were designed to combat age.My lecture seemed like an anomaly. It was about love. Just love. Surround yourself with love.Do you love your work?Do you love your country?Do you love your neighborhood, car, garden?Family?In-laws?And the most, most, most important of them all: Do you love the person you are with?And who is the person you are most with? Day in, day out. All the time. Do you love this person you live with, sleep with, walk with, eat, hurt, have a non-stop conversation with?That person is you.How much do you love yourself? Are you integrated with yourself or falling apart? That determines significantly how long you will live.Just thinking.Ichak Kalderon Adizes.