A Century Plus One

This letter was written to me by a woman whom I knew as Grammy Darling. She was one hundred and one years old when she wrote this letter, six months before her 102^nd birthday and her death. I met this great woman only twice, but I felt a connection to her because she was the only grandmother I had known at that point. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents had passed away. Grammy Darling was an amazing woman who had more than her fair share of incredible experiences under her belt. Born in 1900, she passed on in 2001. This is her New Year letter, in which she reminisces about the past 100 years that she had experienced, attached was the first and last letter she ever wrote to me.

A millennium has just flown by

A new one has begun

The world has altered a million ways

As be begin two thousand one.

Realizing the miracles of this century, it seems only a moment compared to the marvels and advancement of progress worldwide.

My daydreaming returns to the horse and buggy days- the open-air carriage that slowly sputtered over unpaved streets. Curtains with fasteners that hooked to the interior partially shielded the new invention from rain and breezes.

A fortunate few added crystal radio sets with earphones to their possessions

An electric light bulb dangled from a cord, which entered the room from the ceiling, offering the luxury of light that now replaced the oil lamp.

Intellectual geniuses were stretching their busy brains to create delicate flying machines to become airborne.

This mode of travel is now a convenient means of commuter travel plus circumventing the globe that has become too small.

Outer space is the challenge – even a man on the moon was a present day accomplishment toward exploring other planets.

And now we speak casually on a hand-phone via satellite.

May I expect in the future, space travel as a sport or hopping to another planet as a vacation holiday?

All this has been or is on the verge of accomplishing during the 100 years of my life, which includes a mere portion of the past millennium.

Dear Katy

It was taken quite a long time to answer your letters, which I appreciated, and how very pleased I am that you are taking an interest in cursive writing. I am proud of you!

My writing is not improving as it has become more difficult to write plus a problem with my vision. I was so pleased to hear from you.

I have been in the hospital again. This time- a virus which has left me quite weak. I must use my three-wheel walker at all times now and my trips are limited. It was a three-day “stay”. My apartment is fortunately close to the dining room where I take only my evening meal.

I expect the earthquake was quite an experience for you. It has been many years since I had experienced another. When I lived in El Salvador, we had many. San Salvador was called “Hammock Valley” then.

Thank you for your very thoughtful letters and I am so pleased to have known you.

Much love,

Grammy Darling (Elmamae Olsen)