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Maureen's Metamorphosis By Toni Morrison

771 Words4 Pages

In 1997 Maureen was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and had to look at the world through the eyes of a disabled woman. She leaned heavily on her religion as she faced a future knowing one day she would not be able to walk. “It really hit me when I had to apply for the disability tag.” Being disabled, Maureen appears to have the quiet, steadfast resolve that is common with her generation. Despite her disability, she continues her gardening, serving alongside her husband in various churches, and traveling to see their children as they all settled in different areas of the country.
In 2001, their youngest son moved into their home with his baby daughter. With tears welling up her eyes, Maureen told me,
“He had made some poor decisions …show more content…

I was very interested in her experiences and impressions from her time during The Great Depression. I asked her to tell me about this time in her life in more detail; her most vivid memories. With a sad tone in her voice, Maureen said, “during the Great Depression I was very young, but I do remember a bit about it. I remember being given ice, milk, and coal because we were incredibly poor and could not afford to buy them. Our clothes were either homemade or hand-me-downs, which my mom would sew and mend over and over again. However, one of my fondest memories is when my sister and I would get a blanket, go behind the coal stove for warmth, and play with paper dolls. It was so cozy and warm; we would do this for hours.” I could see that this time in Maureen’s life was not easy for her, so I decided to take her mind away from it and asked her a couple of questions where she could compare her life in the past to her life …show more content…

She responded by saying, “Oh, my, there are so many differences from when I was a young girl compared to today. First, the language that today’s kids use is so different. I am shocked, sometimes, at the way parents let their kids get away with offensive talking. I would never have gotten away with that when I was young. My mother would have put soap in my mouth or slapped me across the face if I used the language that kids use today. And, hearing kids talk about the internet and computer is so foreign to me, I don’t even understand what they are saying

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