Women's Portraits

Rūta

I am 70 years old, was born in Kaunas, I am a teacher. I am satisfied about my life. A life includes a lot. Maybe you are satisfied with something, maybe not. On the whole, a person should be satisfied with those things that he/she has got, still a person should want a bit more. I think, a person should have a few ideas to realize. For instance: you live alone in an old house. A very old house indeed. Are you satisfied? No, if you haven’t any idea regarding the nearest future. Yes, if you have an idea to get a very small amount of paint and paint some window sills. After your idea is accomplished, you feel yourself completely satisfied. And life agrees with you for some time. Until you find another idea for yourself.

About ideas. I can see a lot of women that have ideas with their gardening, or sewing, or knitting, or painting. If there is something you would like to accomplish in the nearest future, then social changes do not overwhelm you. It does not matter are you on the verge of old age or even an young one.

Lithuanian women do not feel lack in activity. Only anniversaries remind sometimes of your age. But, in general age does not matter if you can see, if you can hear, if you can walk, and so on.I do not like to think back on my childhood, because I am a retired woman now, and only this age is of interest. In general, the childhood is a phenomena with permanent strong experience. Who knows whether it was positive or negative. From the viewpoint of folks, it could be negative, from my own viewpoint during those days maybe it was positive. Childhood was fine and funny, and happy. Still it WAS.

I remember myself answering to the question asked by my Class Teacher: “Rūta, what is it you would like to be, what is it you are dreaming about as an occupation?” And I answered: I would like to study English. Because then I would know about everything”.

Did I have the conditions (time and resources) to realize your ideas/wishes (interests, study, hobbies)? Yes, I did. YES. Family means to me everything.As a parent (mother), I can always rely on my children.

I DON’T WANT TO THINK BACK, because the past: it WAS, while the present: it IS. My life experience during the period in the age 40 till 60 years? It was as usual way, work, household, taking care of grandchildren What fulfills me currently the most? Grandchildren, family, study of languages, television.

What does my daily routine look like? I am engaged in translations. This is my daily routine. So there is a lot of work to do in connection with various tasks. Do I have some plans for the future? NO, because being in your seventies does not provide any possibility to make any plan concerning the future. How would I assess my past life? Life carries happiness in itself, whether you take care about it, or not. What would I suggest to the younger generations? I think everybody should make decisions regarding position in life. I would suggest choosing that side of barricades where everybody thinks and speaks positively.

Virginija Valančienė