Interview with an Old person

Interview with my Great-Grandmother. Age: 90

1. Do you have any plans for the future or are you just waiting to die?
To travel and visit my daughter in Texas more often.

2. How would you consider your life at this point?
I do not regret of anything I have done. I am very happy with myself. Happy. Calmed. To keep enjoying life along with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I have had a nice long life.

3. What is the best or the happiest moment of your life? Would you say you found the meaning of your life in that moment?
When my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born. They bring me so much happiness. Yes i can say that I found meaning in my life when they were born.

4. Why do you think you feel much more peace now than 20 years ago?
Maybe because I appreciate life so much more now.

5. If I were to encourage you to go out and do some activity, what would you think and would you do it?
If you encourage me on going outside and do something what would I think. I would do it. Well to begin with, I like going outside and walk around the Cri cri (park) and walk on the bench and look at the birds. I would think that you are an adorable great-grandchild and I would walk with you to the park and eat ice-cream on the way home.

6. Have you felt disempowered most of your life?
No, I have never felt that way. Most of my life I had what I wanted.

7. Do you really think society considers old people as useless? if so why?
Yes, I think so. Because a lot of people think we are useless, that we are a burden and we do not participate in their lives.

8. What can you do to still feel alive?
To keep on enjoying the company of all of you. And most of all, to feel the love all of you would like to give me and correspond to it with all my heart.

9. How different did your generation treated old people compared to my generation?
My generation respected old people very much. We gave them their place and we admired them for their knowledge and wisdom. Compared to your generation, we are very disrespected, ignored, and we are treated as if we do not exists. And sometimes we are considered as crazy.

10. Do you consider yourself as a wise human being? If so why?
I do consider myself as a wise person. after all you know what they say "más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo" We have more experience and we have lived so much more than you. We lived so many things before you.

11. What do you think the youth should do in order to have a good life?
Well young people should treat their elders with respect and enjoy life as much as possible. Be happy and loving with those around you.

12. Who do you think we should listen to, our parents or our grandparents? why?
I think you should listen to both of us. Your parents because they give you an education and they always want the best for you. And your grandparents because we have so much more experience.

13. How well do you think I can learn from your mistakes considering that my generation is very different from yours?
They say that you can always learn so much from mistakes. In my generation my parents used to be very strict, and I had to leave my mother with her hair done and with food on the table. And I did not do that with my children or my grandchildren.

14. Do you think things such as true happiness exist? if yes, how do you think we can achieve that?
Happiness exists in each one of us. I think you cannot accomplish it, It is based on attitude. It is simply to be at peace with yourself and life. Don't get mad for things that make no sense.

15. Do you think is too late for you to look for a new meaning for your life?
No, What I lived I enjoyed very much and I still feel it.

16. Why is it that at this age most old people feel resigned?
We feel this way because people push us aside very much. They give no importance to us and we feel alone and sad sometimes because we are not noticed.

17. Did you work hard most of your life so that at this age you could live peacefully?
Yes, I tried very hard while working in the hospital and now I feel at peace because I knew that I saved so many people.

18. What is your understanding of peace at this point?
Peace is to be fine with yourself and those around you. To feel fine because of what I did during my life.

19. What is your understanding of happiness at this point?
Happiness is to have satisfaction. I am very proud of the job I had. I had a husband I loved so much. I had children who gave me grandchildren and great-grandchildren who I love so much and will always keep in my heart.

20. Based on your experiences, what is living a good and meaningful life?
Living a good and meaningful life is to enjoy any job you have, to travel, to meet new people, to love your husband and children and grandchildren, and to never feel defeated for those bad things that happen in life. Remember that from mistakes you can learn so much.