Last year I turned 60 years old and it was a milestone for me. That was the year that I retired after serving for 33 years in the Sarawak State Civil Service.

I had dreamed of my retirement where there are no deadlines and I would be sipping a cocktail at a beach resort admiring the sunset. That was what I was looking forward to when facing the hustle and bustle of my daily job. Oh, how nice to be retired and just do nothing.

Well, my retirement came, and I quickly found out that just doing nothing is pretty boring. The few months that followed were a major adjustment for me. To my own surprise, I miss working and was wishing that I could be back at work. My working life has provided me with a sense of purpose and routine, that is now missing in my retired life.

I was overjoyed when I come across the silver bloggers' community. I find a sense of belonging with the community and from there on I posted regularly in the community. I enjoyed reading the post by other members, there is always something to learn. I am also happy to connect with members who are from all over the world, learning about their cultures and lifestyle from the stories that they share. We the seniors have rich experiences and vast knowledge which we can share with others. The silver bloggers' community has provided a platform where the voice of the seniors including mine can be heard.

Therefore I am very honored and privileged to be a silver blogger. That is who I am and that is my identity. I embraced my age and accept the aging process as just part of life, there is no need to hide my age or be embarrassed by my age. As a silver blogger, I hope that I will be able to spread positivity because that is what the world needs right now with the pandemic and the war. I write mostly about my daily life, my interaction with my autistic son and positive stories. If my writing can inspire or motivate even a single person, put a smile on someone, or just help someone not to give up, I will be happy.

I will be 61 this year, and I know I am in the second half of my life. I truly desire to make my second half better than my first half. Now that I am wiser, have more experience, have stopped (or at least reduced) comparing myself with others and have also stopped caring what others think, I can be happier and true to myself. I want to continue to live my life to the fullest and to enjoy life. As a silver blogger, I will document this journey and share it with others. The best has yet to come.

Although I embraced my age and the aging process, I believe that age is not a barrier to what I want to achieve. That is why at the ripe age of 60, I have started my own YouTube Channel. Do drop by and watch the motivational videos that I had made. Being a senior has not stopped me from learning the technical and computer skills to make videos and blog posts. I am a firm believer of lifelong learning and will continue to master new skills so that I can live a full and productive life.

I like to end this post with a poem that I had written.

I Am A Silver Blogger

I am a silver blogger
And am proud to be one
Maybe I will even be a vlogger
Sharing my stories before my life is done

Being a silver blogger is my identity
That is who I am
Living each day, fulfilling my destiny
What others may think, I don’t give a damn

Age is no barrier
To loving life and pursuing my passion
You can also call me a silver warrior
To bring to the world more compassion

My experience and knowledge
I hope to share with the old and young
For these insights can’t be learned from a college
And through the internet, may the sharing be far-flung

I want to spread more positivity
For we need to lift each other up
May I accomplish this wittingly
We will not mess-up and lead our lives chin-up

Charles Siaw
8 march 2022

This is my entry for Blog Of The Month; I Am A Silver Blogger. Why?