One of our transcribers, Devon, took a sabbatical from Best Day to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail runs from Mexico to Canada and can last anywhere between 4.5 to 5.5. months. She's been on the hike for about a month now. She can't always get service on the trail, but I send her emails with Best Day updates and good vibes about once a week. On May 3rd, she stopped in a town to resupply and sent this message:
We’ve met a ton of thru-hikers that are trying to get to Canada but also a lot of day hikers and section hikers. Today we met an older couple that seemed amazed that we were doing this, but as we kept talking I found out that the husband had biked from Alaska to Argentina, which is way farther and crazier in my opinion!
It’s
pretty cold up on this mountain in the Southern California desert- at
night temperatures can drop to the 30s, but during the day it’s a
punishing 85-95 degrees. I think we need to keep hiking farther and
faster to beat the heat of the summer months.
In honor of the transcription work she's done with us, and the gerontology she plans to do after the hike, here's a couple of stories transcribed by Devon:
Denise W01.21.2021A LetterI wrote a letter.
“Dear God, I thank you for a mother with a vision of fun, travel and relaxation. Yes, my childhood was delightful. Mom would play boardgames with me, particularly Bingo. My mother enjoyed going to the ice follies. I remember seeing Peggy Fleming as she expertly skated to a Beatles tune, “Hey Jude.”
Mom would buy the best seats for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus. I remember collecting pictorial souvenir books from these events. Mom enjoyed going to the movies. The Nixon Theater in Philly, we saw every popular movie shown.
Mom supported my activities wholeheartedly. For example rollerskating, piano and guitar.
I thank you God for a mother that took me to New York about once a month and 1960-something, she took me to the World's Fair. We enjoyed Atlantic City, Broadway Plays, aquariums, Disney World, local theaters, Canada (Niagara Falls specifically) et cetera. So to God be the glory for an adventurous Mom who was patient, loving, and fun.”
That's my story.
Delores Wilson02.13.2020Embracing DisciplineI was pleasantly surprised that my mom gave permission for me to go to the wrestling match at the Civic Center in West Philly on a school night. I begged Ms. Mae to ask my mother to let me go with her to the match. The match didn’t start until 8 that night and wasn’t over until 12 mid-nite.
My mother agreed but she made it clear to me that homework and chores around the house must be done. Last but not least, to get up on time for school the next day.
Ms. Mae and myself both enjoyed watching the match on T.V. She (Ms. Mae) often went to ringside on Wednesday night, a school night for me. I always wanted to go. However was reluctant to ask my mother because it was a school night.
So when she said yes, with the conditions, it was just fine with me. Not only did I enjoy ringside, I was up and dressed on time for school the next day. One of the many lessons I learned from that experience. If I can do what I want to do, I can do what I need to do.
If you want to transcribe for Best Day, then email us at info@bestdayofmylifesofar.org. You can also share our older buds' adventures by donating to Best Day, subscribing to our newsletter, sending a note to our older buds, or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And
if you or the older buds have stories of motherhood,
then you or they can submit stories through our portal right here. We're
especially interested to stories from Black older buds, but we're
always looking for stories from older buds of color, older buds with
disabilities, LGBTQIA+ older buds, older buds of any gender or sex,
older buds of any religion, and older buds who just plain break the
mold.
And don't forget to maintain contact with the older buds in your life. If
you can't be there in person, please call them, email them, or message
them on social media. And if they're using teleconferencing or remote
events for the first time, give them a call and help them set things up.
Check in on them to see how well they're getting used to these
programs. Buy them a computer or an internet package if they don't have
one of their own. It's a human right, after all.
Curated by Caitlin Cieri