I shared another day with this 87 year old woman. She is currently suffering from senile dementia but this is normal for her age. Even if she loses some memories, what she never loses is her great sense of humor, her energy and her joy.

Dora is my husband's grandmother, she is an example of life, a role model to follow and admire. At 87 years old she still lives alone, her daughters come around her house from time to time but old Dora as many call her prefers to be alone. Dora gets around very well, she is active, goes shopping, cleans, cooks, loves to be seen and tell stories to make people laugh, she recognizes that she is very "fastidious" and that is why she does not live with anyone ha,ha,ha.

She had six siblings and only she keeps herself alive. She enjoys telling anecdotes from when she was a child and teenager. She had three husbands, she dies laughing when she talks about them. She says she is looking for a fourth husband to support her and take her out of the country. According to the grandmother she is ready to rebuild her life because she still has time to live.

During the time we shared with her, she did not sit still for a minute. She made lunch, served food, set up her kitchen, made coffee, talked, offered sweets, in short.... She showed a lot of energy. She didn't want to accept help from anyone, she could do everything by herself.

Where does Grandma Dora get so much energy? She says from life itself. When she was a child she was in need, when she got married she failed and she had to divide four of her children because she could not support them, she had seven children in total, she kept three but later she tried to unite them all, although it was impossible. Grandmother Dora is supported by five of her children. They take her to the market and leave her some money to go shopping. Grandma says she has enough money for everything, even to go on a rumba.

In Venzuela, the term rumba is a jocular language to describe with joy the desire to go dancing or to share with friends or family.

Lesson Learned

When I came out retired I felt satisfaction, being at home was good for me, my emotions had been hit by the crisis in my country, for this reason I thought it was necessary to get out of that disturbing context as the classrooms were. Along with me, other colleagues left. All of them calm and hopeful to move forward.

Later came the complaints, being at home was not the best option for the friends, some of them let themselves be dragged down by sadness. Not having money was a constant that drove them crazy. Unintentionally, I let myself be dragged along, but when I became aware of my depression, I stopped to block these issues that were getting on my nerves.

Life is only one, if you don't enjoy it now, there won't be time later. Money is necessary but it is not everything. We are in life to overcome obstacles, not to put more obstacles in our way. Doing pleasurable activities according to our interests can get us out of the routine, with them we will get out of the perfect disturbing excuses. Grandma Dora is an example of life. A lady who still enjoys her life as if it were her last day. Let's be happy, don't sabotage your life. Moving forward is God's purpose.