How one woman defied age with purpose

By Amitabh Sharma

This is the story of Aunt Anna, born in Cuba, and whose family moved to Jamaica when she was a child. Soon, both Jamaica and she became inseparable – the island became her home.

Aunt Anna spent her formative years adapting to the new culture. She met a wonderful boy, who became her best friend and later her life partner. Their union produced three children.

Her love, apart from her dear husband, was teaching. Aunt Anna taught at a high school. That was her life’s mission, to impart knowledge and make a meaningful impact on the next generation. After retirement, she spent her time reading and keeping abreast with happenings around the world.

Anna was, and still is, quite sharp and active. When her son became a doctor and started his private practice, she worked as a receptionist and did basic accounting for him and his staff.

Her journey didn’t stop there, Anna moved to the United States to assist her daughter with taking care of her infant child. Anna spent years as a babysitter for her granddaughter.

“She never stopped improving her knowledge and did not allow her age to slow her down,” said Garth, her son. “She continuously improved her skills with electronic devices. She did a lot of reading to remain current and at the fore of technology so that she would be able to help educate her granddaughter.”

Growing up, her granddaughter Angelique found mathematics very challenging. Anna’s decades of teaching experience came handy and she started giving extra lessons to her granddaughter.

Anna was in her eighties, and everyone was surprised that she was still very sharp and was able to teach high school maths to her granddaughter.

She brushed up on the maths curriculum during the day when Angelique was at school, and taught her after school.

Angelique’s challenges with mathematics were ongoing, which became a roadblock for her to enter University.

Grandma Anna came to the rescue. “Although she was in her late eighties by then, Anna stepped forward and offered to tutor Angelique in University level mathematics,” informed Garth.

Not only did Angelique get into the university, she went to get her master’s degree in her chosen field.

Anna’s babysitting transformed into reliving her first love of teaching. The fact that she was able to see her granddaughter, who was struggling with maths, from high school to attaining a master’s degree, is a testimonial of her sharp mind and never say die spirt.

Anna, now 98, is a living testament that age is but a number. Teaching mathematics not only assured that Angelique was successful in her academic endeavours, but infused purpose and breathed life into Anna.

Next week: Life lessons from Aunt Anna’s life

(The column Postcard from Jamaica appears every Wednesday.)

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