It’s easy to forget sometimes how wonderful the internet can be for senior citizens like Don Crowdis from Canada, age 93, who blogs at Don To Earth. Before the internet, seniors were much more limited in their ability to share with the world their wealth of personal experience and knowledge outside of traditional print media. Sure, they could keep a diary or scrapbook, but the primary benefactor of these treasured memories would be family.

In a recent post that made del.icio.us popular — congrats Mr. Crowdis — he describes how he doesn’t want to leave this earth yet:

For too long I have behaved as if I could postpone going indefinitely, and thus have so many things that I must do first. I don’t want my successors to find out how much I could have done that isn’t done, not by a long shot. There are numerous notes and letters I must write. There are places I’ve wanted to travel, but never had the chance. Actually, each of you can, if you think yourself into my age, fill out the list.

I wonder how many even have a list of the things they want to do? Sites like 43 things can help.

If Mr. Crowdis and I were talking face to face I’d say something like: ahh, but there have been places in time you have been that others like me cannot visit. Like back to the time when the Twilight Zone was running (before I was born). And what about the gangster and depression time when bootleggers ran hooch? Maybe Hollywood has glorified some of these times in history, but people like Mr. Crowdis actually lived through these times in history. As they depart this earth, off goes these memories with them … unless they save them somewhere.

Perhaps it is more difficult for seniors to physically visit the places they still want to see today, but they can visit virtually with tools like Google Earth. Seniors can use the internet to talk to people from these places they want to visit or who have visited there and experience the place through their eyes. There is still time for that, Mr. Crowdis. Don’t even need to buy a plane ticket or gas or even get dressed.

Mr. Crowdis’ post also reminds me of why I would like to retire in my 50’s. Not sure if my wife is down for that plan, but I hope she will be. That means we have roughly 15 years left to save enough money for retirement. Even if we don’t meet our financial retirement goals in time, I still would like to have a good 10+ years before the government says “you’re officially retired” to travel the world and see the places I haven’t seen.

Never been outside the US, Canada and Mexico and there is too much of the world I’ve yet to experience and explore firsthand. I suspect my travel-related writing will increase exponentially in my yearning years. And just for the record, the day I retire from writing is the day my heart stops beating. I don’t really consider writing ‘work’ and never will. I don’t believe it’s possible for writers — people who really have it in their blood and can’t stop — to ever retire from something they love.

That doesn’t mean this blog will continue on until I die, but my writing will always continue on somewhere. I still have millions of words written that deserve to be shared with others someday in some form. MakeYouGoHmm is kind of like the Star Trek Enterprise, on a five year mission. After those five years are up, maybe the mission continues, maybe not. Ask me now and I’m leaning towards continuing on because I’m having a great time, ask me in a year and who knows? We’ll all find out what happens on July 4, 2008.

I realize my time, just like Don, is limited on this earth, so I want to make sure it’s utilyzed accomplishing as much as I can on my list of things to do as possible. Every year I try and start at least one new major project and this means that every year I must also look at ending, reducing time spent on, or selling away at least one past major project. It’s all how the sands in the hour glass are distributed.

There are things I’ve yet to do that would be more difficult to complete with my current work schedule, so retirement will afford me the luxury, health willing, to get those things done. Those 10 or so years I will also complete most, if not all, the travel-related goals I have in life. If I die before that time, then I’ll have few regrets. I’m not that excited about travel, to be honest, but it’s something I would like to do more of in the future. Also, I believe there are plenty more travel possibilities beyond death.

What about you, if you die tomorrow will you have that many regrets? There’s no telling when our number comes up. I’m pretty happy with life the way it has turned out so far. Got a great family with three healthy teens and a wonderful wife, own two good businesses, a few good friends (never have enough good friends though), own and operate some busy websites, several millions words written and shared and a couple million boxed for the future. The way I see it, I’m a 78 year old man in a 38 year old body. If this should be my last post ever (hope not of course), I’d be OK with that.

How about you? If a comment left below was your last comment written in the world, would you be OK with that? Don’t want that to happen to anybody of course, even my greatest antagonists. I’m curious.

If I can make it to the fine age of 93 and especially if my wife is there with me (one of my concerns admittedly because nobody in her family has lived very long), I’ll be very happy. I hope Mr. Crowdis continues to share the wealth of travels and experiences with others on his blog. Heck, fire up the webcam, and talk to us as well. We’ll watch, listen and learn.

Looking over my past and current reading lists I’m somewhat embarassed not being subscribed to any senior bloggers. Now I am. Any other good senior bloggers readers can recommend? Any senior blogger readers want to recommend your own blogs, go right ahead below.

Did this post make you go hmm?

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