The older we get, the more we fear falling. And with good reason. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention one in three adults 65+ falls each year, accounting for 30,00 deaths annually.

In my view, it’s all about balance, and there are lots of ways to work on that. Exercise in general is good. Tai chi, is very helpful if you have the patience to practice it. (I don’t.)

On balance, here’s my routine. Every morning, I brush my teeth standing on my left leg. Every evening, I brush my teeth standing on my right leg. I don’t even think about it. I just do it. And once a day I put an exercise band around my ankles and balance on one foot while I kick the other leg out to the front five times, to the side five times, and back five times. It helps to focus on an object while you do it, as if you were a prima ballerina.

And much as I like looking at trees and people, when I am walking on the brick sidewalks of Cambridge, I spend a lot of time looking down.

So far, so good.