Santa Rosa 90-year-old's zipline adventure chalks another one off the bucket list
SANTA ROSA -- Here's a question: what's on your bucket list? On Wednesday, a 90-year-old woman in Sonoma County had the courage to try something new and is teaching a lesson about the importance of keeping some adventure in your life.
The Solstice senior living facility in Santa Rosa is a quiet, serene place for people to enjoy their golden years. And they make sure there's always something to do. But Carmen Taylor had a different idea about staying "active."
"I asked her, 'What's something you've always wanted to do?'" said Activities Director Melissa Morrissey. "And she didn't even think about it. She just said ziplining, right away. So, I said, OK then, we're going to go ziplining!"
"I thought it would be fun. It would be an adventure," said Taylor. "It was kind of the last one on my bucket list. I'm really looking forward to it."
As part of Solstice's "Living the Dream" program, Taylor, her son Brian, and Morrissey all took on the course at Sonoma Zipline Adventures in Occidental. The company's Executive Director, Jim Blake, said Carmen was breaking new ground for them.
"We might have had a 90-year-old in the past, but let's just say, yeah, she's going to be the oldest," said Blake.
After suiting up with all the necessary safety gear, and a quick orientation class, the group headed up the stairs to their first perch. The ziplines take people from tree to tree, dangling high up in the air, and Brian said it was never anything he thought about trying.
"Uh, yeah, I have my concerns," he said. "Height doesn't really bother me but a ledge does. But if there's a railing or I'm strapped in, I'll probably be fine."
But his mother didn't really seem to have any concerns at all. Born on the island of Guam, Carmen survived the Japanese occupation in WWII and said that experience shaped her view of life.
"I learned how quickly people can die," she said. "And to me, there's just so much about living. I just know that there's so much out there in the world. And the more I see, the more I want to see. It's part of living. It's part of what's keeping me alive because I look forward to doing this kind of thing."
She said pushing herself to do new things is what keeps her young at heart.
"A sense of adventure," she said, "and a story to tell my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And that I still have the courage to try things that may not be too wise, but it's OK."
And while Taylor said this is the last of her bucket list items, later she mentioned that she wouldn't mind going on an archeological dig - perhaps in Egypt- and she says she is looking into that now. Morrissey, who spends her days among seniors, said Taylor's example should be an inspiration to us all.
"There's some people who think, well, I've lived my life and there's not much left to it, and this is a perfect example that it doesn't have to be that way," she said. "There's still things to look forward to. Life is still exciting and there's plenty of adventure to be had if you're willing to take the leap!"
Life isn't a destination, but a journey that we all must walk. But Taylor is there to remind us that, if you want to, you can choose to fly.