Today we spent time at the Gary and Mary West Senior Center and had the opportunity to talk to a lot of elders who were excited to converse with us! I had the pleasure of speaking to two women, Miss Nellie and Cindy, who had a lot to share with me. Miss Nellie told me about how she lived most of her life in Brooklyn, New York before venturing out to San Diego to start anew. She was a single mom and told us about the stigma and stereotypes she faced (even in court) when trying to raise her kids. Even though she did not have much, she was happy and tried her best in life. She spoke of her fear of heights and aviation, her love for West Center's oven fried chicken lunches and her passion for life itself. Miss Nellie stressed how important it is to live life without regrets and to follow your dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem. She was so delighted to have been able to talk to us today, and I feel similarly. Cindy shared with me how it wasn't exactly her intention to begin attending West Center; her initial reason for coming was because it is close to where she lives. I forgot to ask her if she regularly comes to West Center, but I assume so because she knew the lunch schedule quite well. Maybe it was because she seemed a tad younger than the other elders, but Cindy was quite knowledgeable about and interested in public health. It was great to hear the insight she had to share about the topic. She also told me about her many hobbies including mini golf, playing a variety of instruments, composing music and writing songs. Her fond memories of food made by her grandmother were quite heartwarming to hear, and I was glad to have learned more about Jewish cuisine and traditions through our conversation today.Both Miss Nellie and Cindy contributed to Recipes for Life, so be on the lookout for their recipes when our book is published!!
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Grace TranWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2019
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