Patricia, 78
Grateful, optimistic, happy
“ I’m 78, work full-time, volunteer in an hospital burn unit and have an active social life.
If you are lucky enough to be healthy - and that’s the critical part - then, age is merely a number!
Celebrate the wisdom you gain with your years, not what you may think you have lost.”
✨ Twinsight: Patricia has the most positive outlook on life and her vitality is truly off the charts! She is such an inspirational person and is living proof that your internal beliefs and giving back can prolong your health and longevity. What truly stands out about Patricia is that she unapologetically embraces her age and has always done so. She is a firm believer of living in the moment and says, "My next is still my now." Her philosophy is a testament to the notion that age is just a number, and that the present is where she lives her magic hour.
How old are you and how are you feeling about that?
A: I am proudly 78. Other than the fact that there are more years behind me than in front, I feel great about my age, and am living my best life! Do I feel old or young for my age? I definitely feel young for my age.
Three words that describe you.
A: Grateful, optimistic, and happy.
Have you experienced ageism?
A: I have not, and I think it’s because – as counterintuitive as it seems – I’ve always been upfront about my age and have defied all the stereotypes associated with ‘growing old.”
What’s your message to the world?
A: Be responsible in your work and be carefree in your pleasures; but always save time to give back.
Do you have any regrets?
A: One regret is not taking up an old beau on an offer to sail with him on his 100’ sailboat from Florida to Hawaii! An interesting challenge for me is that the personality a woman needed on Wall Street in the 60s (assertive and slightly pushy) isn’t really as appropriate today.
What’s next for you? What does your future self look like?
A: My “next” is still my “now.” I plan to work until (a) I no longer can feel that I make a difference and make something better every day I am there; or (b) I wake up one day and say, “I don’t want to do this anymore!!”
Hopefully, my future self will continue to be happy, healthy and grateful.
What sparks your joy these days?
A: Volunteering sparks my joy, since it connects me to my community and gives me an ‘attitude of gratitude’ every time I leave the hospital.