Seeking Centenarians from the Other Side of the World

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Added: Tue. Aug 19, 2008 10:41am
Posted in: Intergenerational

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Eric Shackle of Australia is the author of the world's first multi national electronic book. It's called, Life Begins at Eighty. At age 88, it's something Eric knows first-hand. He also knows a little bit about writing. He filed his first newspaper article when he was 18 and didn't stop until he was 65. Actually, he retired then, but he really didn't stop at all. Instead, he focused his writings on areas of interest to him, and over the last 20 years he has been more prolific and more passionate than ever.

The subject that draws his passion is aging. He's been scouring the world for centenarians who are rewriting the rules of life. People who, at a later age than at any other time in human history, are vibrant, connected and involved. People who have so much to offer us, and who deserve so much more for themselves.

He came to our attention thanks to a blogger on our Web site, GrowingBolder.com. Ruth Hamilton was 109 years old. She was witty, charming and longed to teach, longed to be needed and longed to tell her many tales. She filed dozens of video blogs on her page at Growing Bolder. Ruth passed away in January, just three months shy of her 110th birthday. Since Eric discovered her blogs he has tirelessly tried to spread the word to all who will listen! Watch this and see why!

Eric, all of us at Growing Bolder believe you are amazing! Your articles in Australia, the UK, South Korea and now Germany show us how you're spanning the globe to shout the message to the world: it IS not only possible to stay relevant your whole life long, centenarians are doing it right now!

People are living longer, staying engaged in life, lending their experience and spreading their wisdom along the way.

You're lighting a match to reveal part of our lives we'd rather not look at.

For years we've pushed our elders away, treating them like speed bumps slowing down our daily lives. And if we need guidance? If we need someone to talk to? We find no problem seeking a complete stranger to listen to our problems. We'll even pay them if our insurance doesn't cover all the cost. And when we're not happy or fulfilled, we're willing to swallow whatever magic pill our doctors are eager to dispense.

What you do for us when you spread the message of Olive, Ruth and Frank is show that as a society, we have a wonderful resource that's available at any time. People with real life experience. People who've learned lessons, not out of a text book, but by actually living. People willing to give simply because it's the right thing to do.

The elderly, whether they're family members or not have much to teach us. It's not just the span of their experience, but also the depth. Why do we value them so little? Why do we roll our eyes every time they offer advice? Olive, Ruth and Frank show that not only do older people have something to give, but they are engaging, charming and downright fascinating people.

Why do we segregate them from our lives? Why do we pack them in old folks homes? Why do we deny ourselves and our children from knowing them? Your stories make us realize what we are missing, what we have denied ourselves of, and what we need now more than ever.

In this era of political correctness, the only "ism" that's allowed to exist is ageism. It's very sad that we turn our backs on the elderly. Not only do we hasten their demise and fill their final years with loneliness and uselessness, we deny ourselves the chance to enrich our lives and learn from those who came before.

Count on us as allies as we both continue to spread a powerful message... We all have the chance to live useful, relevant and vibrant lives. We can help someone live a useful, relevant and vibrant life simply by including them in ours. That's what Growing Bolder is all about!

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Eric Shackle
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Posted 8:00pm August 19th, 2008

Hi Bill. Greetings from Sydney, Australia.

Thank you for your flattering article. My main objective is to encourage the world's senior citizens to join me in riding the magic carpet of the Internet.

If your members are interested in reading any of my stories, these are listed in my e-book (no longer updated) at http://tinyurl.com/58p9cv . More recent strories have been posted in the citizen reporters' journal OhmyNewsInternational at http://tinyurl.com/6jny63.

I'll never be 88 again - I'm 89.

Best wishes to you, your talented colleagues, and your growing band of readers.

Cheers, Eric.

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Seeking Centenarians from the Other Side of the World

Bill Shafer