De Senectute (On Old Age) and Internet

I remember, reading this post written by 95 years old blogger María Amelia, Norberto Bobbio's De Senectute, a rich, complex and excellent academic essay about getting older. Well, not even him, with all his strong academic background, could have written in a better way how much awe is left for the golden years and how much discovering Internet potentials can enhance a 95 years old woman perspective of the world. I should not say it, but her statement deeply moved me. However, it is best to let her tell it to you (the translation from Spanish is mine, and I apologize for any fault):

"Narrow Heads!

My father used to say to me: You were born trying to look what you cannot.

Yes. I always had this idea of traveling and knowing other countries. And, of course, I didn't had that liberty, because my parents could not let me going freely there by, or earning my living as everybody does these days. We, females, were subjected to our parents will.

And I wanted to dance, wanted to live, wanted to know what was life all about. If I would have had Internet those days, always respecting my parents of course, I wouldn't be that obedient because Internet teaches me how to live. And to choose.

Why they say that Internet has bad things? You have to be a person and don't choose the bad ones. I advice to all young people to choose the good. This Internet shows all. Right now I have seen countries that I have just heard of, but just that. This Internet is something that has no explanation of what it is.

If several years ago someone tells me that this Internet was to come, not my father or anyone else would have believed me. This was a great evolution. Grandiose.

Why a lot of people laugh at it? And don't believe that they are... no... some of them are barristers and medical doctors. They find my interest in Internet a motive for funny. How narrow are their heads! Internet teaches. In Internet you travel to all the world, with the Internet. I am astounded. Newspapers, music, everything, everything... I am deeply sorry for all the people who dies without enjoying this Internet.

I feel 40 years younger thanks to Internet. I was falling and it made me feel anxious for living and learning. And I tease people more and more with questions that they sometimes has to investigate. Because modern things surfaces today, and they should be prepared for them.

I advice it: with 60 years old, one is young.

Now I am smarter than before, because Internet opened my senses. Yes, yes, yes, you could laugh thinking that at 95 years old Internet gave me more capacity to understand things".
Image: María Amelia, according to her blog. Text: María Amelia López Soliño, 2007.