Second SCV

As before, the experience was meaningful and open about the reading and of our personal life. The conversations were continuous and focused on what we feel with what happened in the reading. The best part is when one of the Seniors told stories that are related to the story and are the best giving real-life stories that relate to one of the themes in the stories. In our conversation about the book, we talked about the pessimism in the character’s behavior and the inevitableness of death in the future. We also went into the topics about being alone and how as we get older we want to change things but can mistake as we do so. For the Mills students, how we compare ourselves to our older counterparts such as our parents or our closest older people. Our conversation did go into the concern, even at times obsession, with death. The reading did break a stereotype about how older people are either reflective in a positive way or filled with regret with how they lived their life. The main character, Fran, was such a downer to which many in the group agreed she would degrade even the most positive emotions she experience at an earlier life. One of the Seniors did open about how it can be lonely and the action to change our surroundings can be a challenge. One particular story she shared was about a friend who lived in an area that the friend never lived before, so she didn’t know anyone there and how she can’t meet her because of driving reasons. Another story was about a couple of her friends who went to a town in Mexico. The issue was that the friends did know how to speak Spanish and in the town, they were staying in was filled with people like them. The issue was they were now stuck in a place they could not speak the language and they did not go to places outside of town. This story points out how when we get to a certain age we want to do a big change in our lives. These stories exemplify how sometimes the drastic changes we take, especially if done without some forethought what would happen if done, can get us stuck somewhere we don’t want to be in. Another topic we talked about did focus on us Mills students and our counters with people in the older age group. For my say, I don’t have people who are of that age group. Just this moment I realized I do know someone from that age group. Hopefully, I remember it for the next meeting. But besides that, I do know those around me (aunts, uncles, and mother) have an extrovert outlook in life. An example is my mother, who, because of her age, expected to stay inside of the house than go out but is very opposite. I believe even when she is older she will be more active than stereotyped usually.