When society ignores people based simply upon their age, we all miss out. This video speaks volumes about values, sensitivity, innocence, and the wisdom of women of a certain age can share with one another.
Read on for a transcript of this touching conversation.
Lucia: I’ll sit here.
Gloria: OK. What’ll we talk about? My name is Gloria. How are you?
Lucia: My name’s Lucia.
Gloria: Lucia? That’s a beautiful name and you’re a gorgeous looking girl.
Lucia: What’s the best thing about being old?
Gloria: People are nicer to you when you’re older. I don’t really think, to be quite truthful, there’s an awful lot going for being older. Will you swap? Well, I’d swap with you in a heartbeat.
Lucia: I don’t know how you’d swap being an adult.
Gloria: No, I don’t know either. But it would be nice, wouldn’t it? You could swap around, if I could be you for a few days and you could be me. You’d have to go home and cook the dinner and look after the dog. I have a beautiful dog. Would you like that?
Lucia: I’d like it when I’m an adult but not when I’m still a child.
Gloria: Not when you’re seven. That’s lovely. What’s the best thing about being young?
Lucia: You get to play with your friends and play with your best friends.
Gloria: And who’s your best friend?
Lucia: Actually, I have two best friends, Leo and Heather. Leo is a big brother that’s kind of like a twin for me because he was born on the same day as me but not from my mom. Do you wish you’re young? Why?
Gloria: Oh! Because when you’re young, you have great times you have loads and loads of friends and you’re out all the time. You don’t have all these responsibilities. You know what responsibilities are?
Lucia: Yeah, chores.
Gloria: Yes, exactly! Very, very good, honey. Go off to dances and pictures and parties so that’s why I would love to be younger again.
Lucia: But you’d still have to listen to your mom.
Gloria: You’re right. You always have to listen to your mom. When you fall in love, darling, what will it be like?
Lucia: I fell in love with Leo.
Gloria: You didn’t tell me he was your boyfriend. You just said he was a friend.
Lucia: He was my best friend but then I just fell in love with him. When the time comes when you’re allowed to ask boys with girls if they want to marry you, I’m going to ask him to marry me. Did you fall in love? What was it like?
Gloria: Well, I fell in love a few times but when I fell in love with Callum, that’s my husband outside, it was fabulous. He’s a very funny man and he makes me laugh. He still makes me laugh and that’s what I love about him still. Does getting old scare you?
Lucia: No.
Gloria: Why do you think it doesn’t scare you?
Lucia: I don’t wish to be old straight away but I do want to be old but I don’t wish to be old straight away. Does getting older scare you?
Gloria: Yeah. Getting old does scare me a bit. When you get older, you get more sick, and-you’re not as quick on your feet. You can’t run and you can’t do loads of things that you used to be able to do. Yeah, getting old is scarier. It is. Without a shadow of a doubt.
Lucia: I know what always makes me happy when I’m sad. With my mom when I look like this and it makes my mom laugh. Then, it makes me start laughing!
Gloria: Can I copy that?
Lucia: Yeah!
Gloria: You go like this?
Lucia: Yeah, like this.
Gloria: That’s making me dizzy! I don’t think I can do that! The only thing I can tell you is to take every chance and every opportunity. Enjoy everything and have a fabulous, fabulous life.
Lucia: I will!
Gloria: And I hope you and Leo are going to be very, very, very happy, but enjoy life, that’s the most important thing: to really, really enjoy life.
Lucia: So, first you, you’re looking at your nose. Then you go back to looking at your nose.
Gloria: Like that?
Lucia: Yeah.
This is just one of a series of brief but insightful selected videos I am posting that dispel basic myths, spotlight simple pleasures, and demonstrate what is possible when we change our views on aging.
As you view each video, consider for yourself, how much society stands to gains when we switch our thinking from measuring people in terms of “years of value,” to “value in their years!”
Age discrimination impacts us all. Join me in making a difference now!
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