At 101 years old, Allon Miller belongs to the select club of persons who have lived past a century, but with his consistent use of the Internet, he must be nearly in a league of his own making, bridging the gap between generations at the speed of an email.

The heart-warming story of this centenarian surfer was reported in The Gleaner on Thursday, along with Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited's provision to the Bray Street, east Kingston, resident of free Internet access for the rest of his life.

He already had a machine, a 100th birthday gift from his younger sister, that in itself being an indication of interests that go beyond the stereotype of elderly people living in the past where everything was better 'in my days' and needing little more than food, shelter and medical care to exist.

However, as striking as the notion of a man born before widespread electrification of Jamaica, much less access to telephone service, communicating with his daughter in Virginia, United States, by email or an instant messenger service is, his comments imply something much deeper.

As Miller humorously put it, "Dis here (the computer) is my girlfriend and my wife and everytin'. Sometime all 12:00, 1:00 o'clock in de mawnin' I still on mi computer".

This speaks to the unfortunate situation of being closed off from the world around them that, unfortunately, happens to many elderly persons.

Of course, a monitor, central procesing unit and modem cannot replace the warmth of human contact but, as in Miller's case, it can bring those far away that much closer.

And, while he may or may not be able to manipulate the machine with the dexterity of persons less than one-fifth of his age, certainly by simply using a computer and the Internet, Miller has created a common ground for in-person communication with much younger persons who may see him typing away.

Naturally, also, he will be able to keep up with current events and, in some cases, will not need the senior citizens' line anymore as he can transact business online.

Communication with others and a sense of understanding, and hence participation, in significant developments are key to maintaining a healthy attitude, which Miller certainly has. As he put it, "Sometime, when yuh reach certain age, people throwyuh wey, but I think de older I get is de more attractive I get."

The mind often goes before the body, and we encourage an engagement in the process of keeping the mental faculties of older persons limber by not only younger persons but also the elderly themselves, who at times may be resistant to technological developments.

We also commend Cable and Wireless on this investment in quality of life for an elderly man, without which longevity can morph from blessing into bane. It is a gift to one man, but a reminder of possibilities to all persons.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.