“It doesn’t matter if you do everything perfectly,” says Barbara Ehrenreich in her new book “Natural Causes.” I have reached the average age of demise for men worldwide. Now my goal is to reach the national average of 77.

Is it attainable and absolutely necessary? Barbara says, “It’s okay to die.”

I know we have some control and while John Mellencamp sings, “Oh yes, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone,” a meaningful life is the theme of existence. Eleanor Roosevelt said “You should do something every day that frightens you.” I do that with each glance in the mirror, but regul...