An Autumn Leaf

From an interview with 100-year-old Alfia Distefano:

How much has the world changed in the last 100 years?
It has changed so much I don’t even know how to describe it. I do think I value these changes more because I know how life was before. When I was young, we didn’t have what we have now – and I’m not just talking about computers or smartphones. We didn’t have refrigerators, the food was stored inside wells or in the cellar. We had no running water.

Seeing all this change is beautiful. Today, technology is so advanced I don’t even understand it. I’m filled with joy thinking that I can see my nephew even though he’s on the other side of Italy.

How have women’s lives changed over the years?
As a child, my father would often say I should have been a boy. He’d say my intelligence was “wasted”, since women’s main concerns were looking after the house and the kids. It wasn’t conceivable for a woman to aspire to anything different.

Now, my niece can do whatever she wants and be who she wants to be. It’s beautiful, even though I must admit I would also find that scary.

You can read the whole interview (it’s not long) at Vice.com, HERE.

Advertisement

• Posted in: Uncategorized
• Tagged: age, aging, change, history