Never Too Late
My grandmother and I have always had a special relationship unlike no other. I always had an unforgettable time while growing up and visiting my grandmother every weekend and having sleepovers. Just waking up to the delicious, sweet aroma of her signature “dollar pancakes” was gratifying. We enjoyed similar hobbies including art, baking and drawing. She would constantly teach me tricks and hacks to do daily things easily and more efficiently, like when she taught me how to intricately label things that I owned.
In July of 2019, my 67-year-old grandma took me out to get ice-cream and Starbucks. My sister and I noticed that there was a Cycle-bar near the ice-cream shop, an indoor stationary cycling gym, so we decided to sign up and take a class. We had never taken one before and were excited to try something new and adrenaline-pumping.
We entered the gym, but since we were under the age of 16, the employee refused to let us take the class. My sister and I proceeded to leave until my grandmother said that she would take the fitness class with us. I told her that it was no problem if we didn’t take the class and that she probably shouldn’t take the class due to her arthritis, foot problems and the intensity of the class.
However, she wasn’t afraid of the challenge and wanted to push her limits. She assured me that she loves to be active and would take a break if she needed to.
We laced up our proper biking shoes and picked up our water bottles, stepping into the gym. A gust of wind from the air conditioning system hit me and sent a chill up my spine. Loud, retro music tingled my ears as we stepped onto the bikes. Suddenly, the room went almost pitch black until disco lights illuminated the walls and danced around the room. The instructor hopped on the instructor’s bike and a scintillating spotlight shone on her face. She showed us how to use the bike and change all of its settings. We then began peddling, ready for the journey ahead of us.
“She was defying all assumptions and stereotypes about people her age. ”
The room didn’t feel so cold anymore as sweat began to drip down my face and body. My arms and legs felt sore but I kept persevering. Using my peripheral vision, I glanced over to my left to check up on my grandma and to my surprise, she was loving it. Her beautiful face glistened in the disco light and she bobbed up and down with adrenaline and passion for the music and the class. She was loving it. She was defying all assumptions and stereotypes about people her age.
After the tiring yet energizing class was over, many of the other riders congratulated my grandma for putting herself out there and trying something new. Even the instructor congratulated her and gave her a coupon for 20% off another ride. I was unbelievably proud of my grandma and was at a loss of words. She inspired me to push myself out of my comfort zone. She didn’t let her age define who she was or what she was capable of. She taught me that our age doesn’t hold us back from anything-- it is truly just a number.
Serena Dhupar
is an incoming sophomore in high school and is passionate about making our elderly feel loved and appreciated. She is also a part of the LFOE team.