Discussion of the Elderly Perspective on the Good and Meaningful Life

This is the basic transcript for my conversation via telephone with my Irish grandmother. Some words may have been replaced or edited for an easier reading. After the initial greetings of Hello, how are you, how's everything, we finally got to the meat of the conversation.

Me: So, Granny, the thing is, I have to get the elderly perspective on what a Good and meaningful life is, and how someone can live one.

Granny: Well you shouldn't be talking to me, so.

Me: Well, my teacher's criteria for elderly or old people was 55 and older, so technically you fit that description.

Granny: Well let me tell ya, your teacher doesn't know what he's thinking if he's going about calling me old. There'd be very few other Grannys like me float'n around I'll tell ya, boy.

Me: Well, ok. Not old, but...experienced?

Granny: Ok so, what was you had in mind?

Me: My first question is just, How old are you?

Granny: 67

Me: Would you consider yourself old?

Granny: I most certainly wouldn't.

Me: What would you define as old?

Granny: I think that the people who spend all their time sitting around doing nothing. You don't see me practicing any needlepoint in front of a fire.

Me: Ok, so let's get into the heavy stuff. What would you say are your ideas on a good and meaningful life.

Granny: I I'd have to say keeping a family, being a wife and mother is the most meaningful a life you can have.

Me: What makes you say that?

Granny: It's because you bringing new life into he world and caring for it and loving it, and when you see it go off on its own you have a feeling of happiness that you've done something for the world.

Me: Where do you think you got these ideas from?

Granny: Well, I've been very much like a mother since I was very young. My mother, your Great-Grandmother died when I was about 9 years old, and since I was then the oldest in the family, I then had to help take care of my siblings. There were four of us in total.

Me: And that shaped you into these ideas?

Granny: Of course. We weren't very well-to-do you know. I grew up on a farm and so that meant that I had a lot of responsibility. Beside taking care of the little ones I had to muck stables and feed the animals and all that tripe.

Me: If you could have changed anything about the life you lived, what would it be.

Granny: Gavvy, I wouldn't change a damn thing, and I'll tell ye why. I've lived a happy life and I expect to continue doing so until the Lord in heaven sees fit to have a meeting with me. Now, off and away wit ye. I have to head off into to town to say hello to Gracie.

Me: Okay, Goodbye Granny.

Granny: Goodbye Gavvy, talk to soon. Bye.