The Gift of Growing Old by Kylie

The Gift of Growing Old by Kylie - April 2022 Scholarship Essay

My name is Kylie Yanzuk, and for the last 11 years I have been involved in helping my elderly neighbors Dallas and Shirley. Providing services for my neighbors has been a volunteering experience that has taught me a great deal from what has felt like such a short time. I first came to know my neighbors when I first moved into my new house. I was 6 years old, and my brothers were 4 and 2. We were very young, and our new neighbors were an older couple. I remember that my parents apologized to them a majority of times, because we were children and we were playing outside loudly. However, each and every time, they said that they enjoyed the noise and the sounds of us playing. Now that I am older I see that is something they missed having around. This taught me to really cherish my children growing up one day.

My neighbors have an extremely hard time getting around, and they have a hard time getting things done around the house. I have helped them clean their house, I’ve cooked treats for them, I’ve done yard work for them, and I have done a number of other things around their house. I found that I enjoy helping people that need it, and that I love to see the smiles on their faces. From doing these chores that were found as difficult to them, I have been taught a majority of different lessons from them. While I help them, they enjoy visiting with me. They used to tell me about the times in which they were in high school, and when they had fallen in love. Shirley had talked about how she couldn’t wait to graduate so that she could get married. Her father had told her that he wouldn’t allow her to get married until she had finished high school. This made me realize how life is short and that you should be with who you love. They fell completely in love with each other, and even now you can still see that the love hasn’t changed or faltered. When I get the chance to fall in love, I will not settle for anything less. I want to spend it with someone I will want with me for the rest of my life. I want to grow old with my husband, just like Shirley has done with hers.

I learned that aging is a gift. My neighbors always talk about their grandchildren, and even their own children. They loved to see them grow up and to see how much they have accomplished in their lives. They even talk about how they’ve enjoyed seeing me and my brothers grow up, and that they can’t wait to see me enter college. It gave me a new perspective on what it means to grow up. I’ve gained experience with doing the dishes, doing laundry, and grocery shopping. Growing up means becoming independent. However, they have taught me that life is unpredictable and that I should live it to the fullest. Through the last 3 years, Shirley has broken her back 5 different times, and Dallas has had several surgeries on his back and neck. They tell me constantly about how I should value my youth and to live like the world is on fire. They want me to live my life to the fullest of its abilities, so that when I am older I am happy with how I spent it. It taught me about how much our bodies break down as we age, and you need to experience your youthfulness. You want to look back and be happy with everything you experienced while your body is young and bounces back well.

They have taught me about hard work, and about how important it is to maintain good relationships. They told me about how important it is to go to college and how far it can get you. They worked for a majority of their lives and it really shows. They now have 2 houses, and have a lot of property. Their hard work can be seen in the way they have nice houses, they have kids that work just as hard, and they live comfortably even after retirement. I strive to have a life like them when I am older. They’ve worked so hard in their life, that their bodies have gotten extremely worn down. I love doing work around the house for them, because I know they can’t anymore. They also have a majority of relationships that they have kept and maintained over the years. They constantly have family over, that are willing to help them get through the day. Their family is full of love.

I can not express enough of how thankful I am to have them as my neighbors. They have played an important role in me growing up and becoming the young woman I am today. They have taught me about love, about how growing up is a gift, and how hard work will pay off in the end. I know that they lived their lives the most they could manage. When they look back, they have regretted nothing. Volunteering has not only brought me more experience with helping others, but it has shown me a glimpse into what living a good life looks like. A life worth living.