Last night I was waiting for the bus, which was due at 7:30 (ish)... had a young woman say to me... "aren't you afraid to be out alone at night"... I replied 'ummmmmmmmmm no'... her quote was "I am... I admire you being elderly and not being afraid to be out after dark" and I said to her... 'I walk with attitude, if I walk as if I am afraid of my shadow, then yes I am going to get harassed, if I walk with confidence, then people generally leave me alone... besides, I am short, and can reach the knee caps quickly... those who hassle me, will have to deal with me, with my kids, and with their own karma"
We talked further, and I found out that she is 38. I am 57... she is 19 years younger than I am, and 8 years older than my daughter... but to her, because of my 'looks' I probably look like I am 10 or 20 years older... I find it interesting having gotten the "this is an unsafe neighborhood' chat from several folks in the last few weeks, that if you are 20 something, or 30 something, it is o.k. to be out after dark... (which is coming at 5:30 ish now...) but of you are 40 something, 50 something, 60 something... you should be home - inside - safe with the doors locked...
Why is it that after a certain age, we discourage activity, and we act as if folk are frail, and may be taken advantage of if they are out after a certain time of night... I have had less problems in the last 5 years (knock on wood) than I have in the 15 before that... and most of the problems, have been from people breaking into my house when I wasn't home... I have had a bag stolen twice, once from a person who as I was waiting for a bus, who did a snatch and run... and once from 2 people who double teamed me, and split up as they were walking past me... (there is a reason that I wear a backpack...) and those two incidents happened more than 10 years ago...
If we wrap ourselves in fear, than we will always be afraid... I don't want to be afraid!
