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Essay

Aida, my grandmother, was in her 20's when she moved from Dominican Republic to New York. I love this lady for being so charismatic, sympathetic, and a woman who loves her family. It wasn't too long ago when she lost my grandfather due to cancer, and around this time she struggled with dementia and arthritis. Sometimes I wondered how she managed to keep that bright smile on her face and that's when I realized it was joy. This woman was so joyful that it never mattered what she went through, she always managed to do the things she loved most; cooking, cleaning, gardening, and looking after her grandchildren.

Aida is now in her late 80's and still continues to struggle with memory lost, but she is still active, going back and forth to her friendship center and meeting new people. Aida has aged well by looking backward at life with pride and without regrets, and looking forward with optimism and enthusiasm. I admire her ego integrity and how she managed to indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events.