Here's the story of Gertrude Hawkins, who just celebrated her 106th birthday on March 28th, surrounded by family and friends in Los Angeles.

Hawkins, known to her family as "Aunt Trim," was born in 1917, the same year the U.S. entered World War I. She grew up in the South, where her parents were farmers, but later moved to the West Coast.

One of her great-nephews explained to ABC 7,

We all followed my Aunt Trim to the West Coast. If it weren't for her being one of the pioneers to come to the West Coast early on in life, we wouldn't be here.

Hawkins had a lot of advice to dole out on the occasion of her 106th birthday, reminding people to treat others right, and not to worry.

I don't let nothing bother me because worry gets you nothing but gray hair, and I don't want that.

But when she was asked to summarize the secret to her longevity, she quipped,

I got one answer for everybody, it is to live and don't die.

It might seem like that's a no-brainer, but that statement is actually deeper than you think.

And a good sense of humor doesn't hurt either!