I had to pop over to the house today on my lunch break to check on something real quick. About a block from our turn in, there was an elderly lady that was slowly making her way down the sidewalk. I've missed some opportunities to help people lately and I promised myself as I drove past that five minutes later on my way back through I'd stop and offer her a ride to anywhere she needed to go. Sure enough as I backed out of the driveway a few short minutes later, there she was shuffling her way down our street. Although the sun was out, it had no impact on the freezing temps outside today as it barely managed to get above freezing. She was bundled up in a pink coat, with a crocheted toboggan over her head, and thick gloves grasping her walker. Slowly and steadily pushing herself down the street as if oblivious to the cars passing her by at times, she just kept going step by step.
I pulled over to the curb just close enough to get her attention, but far enough away to not scare her into thinking I was up to no good. I left the car running, the heat jetting out full blast, and asked her if she wanted a ride. With a big smile she said no thank you. I urged her to reconsider, but could tell the frail lady in front of me was set on making her own way. I asked if she was out getting exercise or was running an errand, to which she responded that she was almost to where she needed to be and besides she would have to walk back to her home anyway so why not just keep going. She then told me she was 94 years old, had lived in this area all her life, and then said two things that I hope will stay with me for quite some time.
"Would you believe I'm 94 years old and I've never had a bad day? Not one bad day in all my years." She laughed after the words came out and so did I. Partly because it felt lately that everyday had been a challenge for me recently and partly because I think I understood that what she was really saying was that no matter how bad things had gotten for her, every moment had been worth it in the long run. We all have struggles. We all suffer traumatic and dramatic experiences....it's whether or not we let them change who we are that's the real test. I don't doubt the elderly lady I met today had nights where she couldn't stop the tears from coming and weeks when she wondered why things happened the way they did, but there scooting herself down the street on a freezing cold Wednesday morning...she couldn't help herself but tell a complete stranger how every one of those days was precious and there wasn't a truly bad on in the bunch.
After a few moments of idle conversation, I tried one last time to take her to her next stop and then made my way back to the office. Honestly I never really even heard where she was headed, but I appreciate the place she brought me to at that moment.
On a less serious note; the second thing she said that shocked me was that she lived in Williamsburg apartments which are a mile and a half from where I stopped her on the side of the road. A 94 year old woman had walked a mile and a half in thirty-five degree weather, wind blowing, pushing a walker, and I can't get on my exercise bike for longer than ten minutes.
In both cases it seems I've got some work to do.
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