Aspen Senior Day Center is filled with a variety of clients with diverse backgrounds, talents, and personalities. This month we’d like to introduce you to one of our newest clients, Lucy Gonzalez. Lucy has been coming to the Center for a few months now after moving from Arizona to live with her daughter (who is also named Lucy)!
Lucy was born in Puerto Rico where she lived until her family migrated to New York when she was 12-years-old. She says one of her most vivid memories from moving is riding the NY subway at midnight in the freezing cold! Lucy said that she used to listen to the radio when she was in Puerto Rico and thought she knew English very well. She quickly realized when she got to New York that she actually didn’t know it as well as she thought!
Lucy met her husband, Tony, after being introduced through her brother and his wife, who was her husband’s niece. She said many times people tried to introduce him to other ladies, but he liked her the best and chose her! She admitted that she was a bit disappointed that he happened to have the same last name. “I went from having the last name Gonzalez, to having the last name Gonzalez!”
Together Lucy and Tony had seven children, two girls, and five boys. Her youngest was born 10 years after the others when Lucy was 45-years-old. Now her children are grown and have their own families. In fact, Lucy is expecting her first great-great-grandchild soon!
She worked as a teachers aide for almost 20 years at Mesa Public Schools in Arizona. She received her GED in her 50’s. When her job requirements changed unexpectedly, she received the equivalent to an Associate’s degree while in her 70’s!
Lucy is a woman of many talents and loves to stitch, knit, and crochet. A few of her favorite hobbies are staying active by dancing and jumping rope. Her daughter Lucy says that her mother likes to tease her about her lack of dancing skills. Lucy says, “She can’t find her rhythm and she dances like a gringa!”
One of Lucy’s favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.” She says that it is an idea she has lived by. It has been a great motivator for when life gets difficult.
Lucy says “My favorite part of the Center is taking part in all of the activities and staying busy each day! I have always liked the saying, ‘Use it or lose it’. At the Center, I get to enjoy music, art, and games in a relaxing environment that keeps me active and busy all day.”
Aspen Senior Day Center is delighted to have Lucy attending. She is kind, energetic, and helpful every day.