Writing Assignment #2

Pino del Oro #3, 25/2/2005 11:57 © Bert Teunnissen

This is a photo of an old woman sitting in what looks like the kitchen. There are photographs and artwork on the wall. The photographs are of family members. There is a table in the middle of the room covered with a tablecloth and there is a vase of flowers and a bag with something in it, maybe bread. There are yellow tiles on the wall. There is also a moosehead hanging on the wall. The old woman is sitting in the corner looking towards us, she's all dressed in black with an apron on.

The picture makes me think about what it must be like to get old. I assume she's a widow since she is dressed in all black, and she probably lives with her family. She has spent her whole life caring for her family, and now she probably doesn't feel as useful as she once was. I am sure she wants to cook and clean for them as she's done her whole life. But given her age, her time is spent mostly sitting. It's interesting that she chooses the dining room to sit, it seems like its a sunny day outside. The kitchen is probably where she feels most comfortable.

The picture makes me feel a little sad. Her life has probably revolved around her husband and family. Now her husband is gone, and her family has grown. I feel like she's never really had a sense of who she is or had a chance to find out about herself. Most likely, she hasn't traveled much, I bet she hasn't even left her town that often. I am sure her family is nearby, but I still feel a sense of sadness. Is she happy about her life? Is there something she wanted to do but never did? On the other hand, maybe being with her family makes her happy, and that's how she wanted to spend her life.