Braudilio López (85) is a civil engineer. He was born in Cuba and currently lives in Mexico. He is my grandfather, and we narrate this series through his words.
I am grateful to life for allowing me to live more than eight and a half decades, during which I have accumulated experiences and adventures that satisfy me, as I have managed to realise my dreams and achieve goals that sometimes proved difficult.
I managed to achieve them thanks to my determination to improve, my effort and dedication.
I had a complex but pleasant childhood. I come from a very humble background, yet I was always driven by the wish to reach further, and I have achieved it. I got professional training, raised a united and capable family, and today, in my old age, I enjoy a quality of life.
It is not fair to relegate someone just because they have left their youth or former energy behind. Those who reach this stage should not lose their self-esteem or values. If their mental and physical abilities allow it, they can still make decisions, share experiences and be heard.
An older person deserves recognition if their life has left a mark that has benefited their family, society or those close to them: friends, neighbours or work colleagues.
We must not deny ourselves or become useless objects.
We must maintain our independence and engage in activities to continue being useful: writing stories, gardening, helping with chores, attending events, or helping younger children with their studies.
All those tasks nourish our self-esteem and spare us from being disregarded.
It is exciting to get together with the family at Christmas, birthdays or graduations, to remember pleasant anecdotes and events: the birth or first birthday of a child or grandchild, a daughter’s 15th birthday party, a wedding. All of this makes us feel alive and turns old age into a stage where we continue to contribute knowledge, unity and family support.
We will never grow old if we resolve to continue accumulating youth. Our experiences become unique, sentimental treasures that should be kept as family heirlooms.
