On His Way

Joe Delfausse isn’t a centenarian, yet. But he’s well on his way. While he’s only 82, he’s clearly living his 100 Year Lifestyle. He’s got passion, purpose, and is creating community and making a difference in people’s lives every time the sun goes down.

Finding something that you are passionate about for decades is one thing. Sharing it with others is meaningful. But calmly stopping traffic on a busy Brooklyn street at night is nothing short of miraculous. For Joe, it’s a Tuesday night.

National Treasure

Since the mid-90s Joe has been an amateur astronomer. For the last 20 years he’s been taking his telescope to the streets of his neighborhood to let strangers on the street take a look at the cosmos.

Recently, Joe couldn’t get a good view of the sky from the sidewalk, so he went into the middle of the street. He was right in front of an outdoor concert as it ended. It wasn’t long before a line formed of young and old alike wanting to catch a glimpse of Saturn.

One young musician saw the line and posted a video on YouTube, referring to Joe as a “Zen Buddha…shepherding a bunch of hippie kids who just got out of a concert.”

Not only was Joe attending to his line, he managed to keep a smooth traffic flow, in Brooklyn, at night. One person on social media, reacting to Joe’s ability to handle New York traffic, implied that Joe was a national treasure and suggested that they should “protect this man at all costs.”

Awe and Delight

Joe has a different perspective on what’s going on. He sees New Yorkers who are normally cautious dropping their guard and talking to total strangers. For him, people are starved for connection. When he gets to share the amazing cosmos with strangers, and their eyes widen with awe and delight, he feels like he’s made a difference. Clearly, he has.

According to Joe, “I’m in my 80s, and you want to do something meaningful in your life. I can’t think of anything that’s more meaningful than this kind of stargazing with people.”

Reach for the Stars

Joe is living proof that age isn’t a factor when it comes to reaching for the stars. What started years ago as a casual conversation with a stranger led him to his local amateur astronomer’s club, and fast forward decades, Joe is known as the guy who creates awe and delight. That’s what we call living at 100%. We fully expect to hear about Joe and his telescope for decades to come.

What are you passionate about? Are you doing what you can to share it with others? Take a lesson from Joe, it’s never too late. You really don’t want to miss a detail of this story, so keep reading.