I sort of want to be 90
My grandma turns 90 today. Yes, that’s years old. Chatting with her this weekend at her family birthday party it made me take a step back and think about what’s important to people of that generation.
She almost jumped out of her chair when she opened the four word-search books and non-alcoholic wine. (Before you call me a cheapskate, this was actually on her list of what she wanted.) This is further to my point that she didn’t want “things” for her birthday, she wanted time with us. And we had a great time.
It was refreshing to speak to someone who didn’t look at her cellphone every few seconds (she doesn’t have a cellphone) or even know what Facebook is. She said she’s never had a password in her life. She doesn’t know what “trending” means and still calls a hashtag the pound sign on her corded phone.
She knows the name of the U.S. president but not why people hate him. I am even more grateful that she doesn’t know who Stormy Daniels is.
She doesn’t know any Kardashian scandals or why Beyonce is idolized.
She knows Amazon is something in South America and not the world’s biggest online store.
She is not overly sensitive or easily offended by the slightest word or comment. In all honesty she still uses terminology that “snowflakes” would cry foul about. (And she knows snowflakes as something wintry.)
So as much as we can say a 90-year-old grandma is out of touch with the times, I sort of envy her limited knowledge about the craziness the rest of us live with, and can’t live without, on a daily basis.
Happy Birthday, Baba!