Dear Editor,
The Times of India is reporting that a ninety-six-year-old great grandfather, Randall Butisingh, a Guyanese living in Florida, has become the world’s oldest blogger.
Mr Butisingh’s popular web blog was recently awarded the Greypow Award for best senior site by the website lifebeginsat80.com, which periodically lists the best senior sites on the web. Butisingh, who was born in Guyana under British rule on Dec 1, 1912, succeeded Maria Amelia Lopez Solino as the oldest blogger on the web after the 97-year old Spanish great grandmother died in May 2009.
Mr Butisingh has the distinction of being the only one among the senior bloggers to type and post his own blog; Maria Amelia dictated her blog to her grandson, the newspaper reported.
“I am in fairly good shape after surviving a serious illness. I can do most things for myself like showering, dressing, preparing my breakfast, etc. I can walk, unsupported by a stick,” Mr Butisingh says, adding, “at present, the only pill I am taking is the aspirin (low strength) to help with my circulation. My blood pressure is stable – 140 over 70.”
Mr Butisingh grew up in Buxton, where he received his primary education. In 1927 he passed the school leaving examination and became a pupil teacher at the age of 15 to begin a 45-year career as a teacher. He retired in 1972. He has seven children, 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, who live in America, except for one daughter and her son who live in Guyana.
Mr Butisingh has written three books of poems and was recognised as a Poet of Merit by the American Poetry Association. His varied background is reflected in his blog; he writes about life in Buxton, on philosophy, economics, politics, environment, poetry, history, psychology and religion.
Butisingh has a secular world view and wrote last year: “I was raised as a Christian from birth by Hindu parents and grew up in the Christian Church, in a village which was predominantly Afro-Guyanese. But eventually I separated from the church as I saw it as exclusive and divisive and I wanted to be involved in all mankind…” The Times of India reports that Mr Butisingh has studied comparative religions and philosophies. He believes that “there is a fine thread of truth woven into the fabric of all of religions, but very few are able to find it. Those who find it, the mystics, although their source may be different, find themselves in the same brotherhood journeying to the same destination.”
Check out Randall Butisingh’s20blog here: http://randallbutisingh.wordpress.com/about/
Yours faithfully,
David Seegobin