"Foused"

For about 4 months now, we live in a 2 family home in Astoria. Ms. Fous is the woman who owns the house and lives downstairs. She's 94 years old and she lives by herself. she walks with a cane, but as she points out, only because she had an accident and hurt her leg, not because she is "old". Ms. Fous grew up in Manhattan and describes cobble stone streets and no cars to be seen. she tells stories of men sleeping on the fire escapes in the summer because it was too hot inside with no air conditioning. She talks about how when people took the time to stop and talk to each other and weren't always in a Rush to get to the next place. And, she talks about a time when many women , including herself, after working so hard to have the right to vote, voted however their husbands did.....and, when it was widely acceptable to judge somebody for their race, religion, gender or sexual preference. She still maintains the values of her time and has moved with this one. Whenever Marie and I have to go down to see her for for any reason, we end up staying there for more than an hour. Last night when I came home, Marie was not here, she was downstairs with Ms. Fous. She had been with her for about an hour and a half. When she came up, she said she had been "Foused"...which means that she had been drawn in by her contagious charm and outlook on life. She is a reminder of how far we have come as a society and at the same time that there is still much work to be done. Ms. Fous teaches me to be patient and in the moment and to value every day that I have.