ON BEING 75

I was born in April of 1944, one and a half years before the end of World War 2. It amazes me the changes I’ve witnessed and of which I’ve been part. 

Technology has been one aspect of society that has changed rapidly in my lifetime. I remember sitting in the living room with my family when I was little and listening to programs on the radio: The Shadow, The Lone Ranger, Fibber McGee and Mollie and so-called variety programs. I was there for the beginning of commercial television (black and white) and yes, we watched test patterns while we waited for a program to start. Commercial jet travel started when I was a child; I think my first airplane trip was in 1965 for our honeymoon trip to Florida. In 1983, I purchased one of the first highly successful “personal computers” (PC), an IBM with the 8088 CPU. My first camera was a simple fixed lens, black and white film camera, probably a Kodak. And I remember getting a portable, battery-powered AM/FM radio as a gift for my graduation from 8th grade in 1957. When I was little we had a party-line telephone, and there was an operator you could talk to, which is how you made a long distance call (very expensive). Telephony became mobile during my lifetime; my first mobile phone was a Motorola “brick.” 

I have in my pocket at this very moment a “telephone,” actually a combination pocket computer, telephone, camera, text messaging device, global positioning system, internet connected, movie/video viewer, radio, drawing tool, voice recording, news reader, address book, calendar, electronic mail capable, remote banking, note taking and document writing, calculator, ride hailing, travel agent machine (and so much more - I have 117 apps). 

The advances in medical science and technology over the span of my life are amazing. An example is the robot-assisted surgery I had one month ago to remove my cancerous prostate. As my home-made T-shirt reads: “Embrace your Inner Robot.” 

As a community elder, I feel very connected not only to my local community, but to the global community. We are fortunate to be world travelers, and to have internet access to global news and the so-called social media. I am a member of a photography internet site, and members of the few groups in which I participate are from many different parts of the world. I have a few blogs and a web site, and I can see that people from around the country and the world sometimes visit these. 

I have also lived through dark times. The last 1-1/2 years of World War 2, the Korean War, the war in Vietnam, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a number of smaller military events around the world. I’ve witnessed and participated in political movements for racial, gender, and marriage equality, and worked on the first Earth Day. I’ve seen many changes in these areas; however, there is still so much more progress to make. 

At the present time, the world is confronted by major crises that threaten not only our societal structures, but the quality of life itself. The climate crisis, in spite of the denial rhetoric of many politicians, threatens the stability of millions of people and the social orders in which they live. Every aspect of human society is threatened by the rapid changes humans have made to the atmosphere. Every ecosystem on the planet is changing as a result of the changing climate, with cascading effects. 

Add to the environmental crises the political crises of our time and things look very dire, indeed. The rise of authoritarianism, nationalism and xenophobia in the United States and countries around the world is an ugly reminder that history tends to repeat itself, and does not bode well for our future. 

And so, as I begin my 76th year of life, I marvel at the changes I’ve seen, the positive advances made by human society, and the interconnectedness of the global community. I also am keenly aware of the threats to our well being from climate change and political trends. I know that, if I’m lucky, I have another 10 to 15 years of living, and what bothers me most about leaving this life is that I won’t know how all of this turns out for my grandkids and generations after them. 

But life is good, as we always say in our family, even in the face of illness and death. I’ve had a wonderful life so far, and expect to continue enjoying it. I have a wonderful spouse, kids, grandkids and extended family and friends. I’ve had an interesting and fun career as an ecologist. I have had numerous adventures resulting in exciting stories that I tell - over and over and over….

To all the friends and family who have sent birthday messages via my wife’s social media (I don’t use Facebook or Instagram), I want to thank you for your greetings and very kind words. I am amazed and humbled by the number of people I can truly count as friends and loved ones. You all are the best! 

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