Andi Murphy conversing with a 102-Year-Old Elder

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

She said that when she was young, she had an old uncle who told her that she was going to see changes in the world and changes in the Pueblo people.

"The changes are here, I have seen them," she said.

I'm 19 and I have seen so many changes in the world already. I cannot even imagine what sort of life this lady lived in 1910 or 1930. I cannot imagine what sort of life she lived as a Pueblo in that time. As she was telling me this, she took breaths and long pauses, my knees were hurting from the marble floor and people were stepping over my feet annoyed.

I put myself in her place and saw the traditions and culture fade away. I saw natural beauty turn to modern machinery and language to a lost art.

"Young people are not obedient," she said. "No more."

My heart strings were yanked again when her words rang true to me. I thought of the drug abuse and juvenile crimes that plague the reservation, my reservation. I have also seen these changes. I wonder what sort of changes I will see in the future.

Taken from: http://www.reznetnews.org/article/feature-article/conversing-102-year-old-elder