audgepodge

Marga

I had an interesting day. On my way home from dropping Ellie off at Logan, I saw, from the corners of my eyes, an old lady with frail hands and hair as white as snow. I tried not to stare but wondered where she was going with her green purse and a black rolling-backpack. Wondered what stories her wrinkles told. She looked tired and cold - almost coldhearted too. To the point where I thought she would scowl at me if I made eye contact with her. I hoped that backpack wasn’t too heavy.

As I walked off the bus, I lingered to see if she was capable of carrying her bag off. She was struggling to get off of her seat as other people busily rushed past her. I didn’t want her to think that I thought she was inept, but I couldn’t leave after seeing the anxiety in her face before the steep steps. Looking back now, her frailty reminded my of my own grandma at home. Maybe that’s what pushed me.

I walked back after some hesitation and offered to help her with her bag. She thanked me as we walked into the train station and went our own ways. Then, just as I was about to swipe my way in, I took a peek behind me to see if she’d gotten her ticket. She went from kiosk to kiosk, with a look of slight distress and utter confusion. I told myself that ‘she’ll figure it out..’ but eventually convinced myself to go over and offer my help. Looking back again, she reminds me of my other grandma in Korea.

After getting her ticket, I asked her where she was headed — turns out we were both headed towards Boston College; my stop was a few stops before hers. I think both of us were relieved by this coinkidink. I told her my name and she introduced herself as Marga from Portland. She came all the way to Boston to care for her bedridden younger sister. Boy, was I wrong about her.

Today, I stumbled upon a person with amazing stories. I’m thankful for the opportunity because I was almost too afraid to rise to the occasion. Ended up learning super interesting bits and pieces of her life. She was once a California girl who left home for college on the east coast and returned only recently to be with her two son and grandkids. She majored in US/European history and in the 1940s, worked as a UN delegate in the same department as Eleanor Roosevelt. How awesome is that. We talked about her love for traveling and my desire to travel. She raised her children in Italy and lived for some time in Greece - her most favorite place! She asked me about my major and my family. She forever loves to hike and says that she is still able to hike 6 miles in one day..in her 80s! I want to be like her. What a lovely, lovely lady. My eyes were really opened to the generation barriers that come from technology and different lifestyles. It inspires me though, how the love for traveling transcends the generation gap.

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Two things that make me anxious about aging: keeping up with technology and being unable to do all physical activities I want just because of the inevitable loss of body strength.

(mental note: start living an active life now - use it or lose it!)