Fannie liked to tell jokes and laugh out loud with her friends. She had seen many changes over the years, most of them were good ones. Fannie was of African-American descent and lived during a time when Blacks were treated differently such as being expected to live in a certain part of town. None of us are in a position to do anything about the expectations of others which happened in the past. We can, however, do plenty about making and accepting changes today.

Fannie was not rich nor flamboyant, but she had pride and believed in treating others in a special way. Everyday Fannie would sit in the same chair at the senior citizens center and eat lunch with her friends and the other seniors from the community. No one ever bothered Fannie or showed disrespect, at least not from what I saw. I think this was because Fannie treated everyone else with respect.

Occasionally Fannie would speak her mind or request something of me, but mostly she just enjoyed being a part of the senior center and telling jokes with her friends. At the senior center, Fannie was among people her own age and could visit with her friends and acquaintances. I think Fannie knew, perhaps had come to expect, that the senior center was a place where everyone treated her as an equal and this seemed to suit her just fine.

Fannie had a wonderful attitude toward the senior citizens center and enjoyed attending. Everyday the senior van would pick up Fannie at her home and everyday the van would bring Fannie and her friends to the senior center. Fannie wrote a poem about the van ride which ended with, "and as we turned the corner at main street we hollered out in fun, watch out Senior Center because here we come!"

I really enjoy thinking about Fannie from time to time. She was not unique, but she was very special. She had seen bigotry in her lifetime, she had seen changes come slowly, and she had seen acceptance as she grew older and the world around her grew wiser. I respect Fannie, even though she left this world several years ago. I respect her perseverance, her determination, and most of all I respect her attitude on life and how she expected changes to be made.

It would be very easy for Fannie to have been bitter. It would have been easy for her to have given up on life and her community. It would have been understandable if Fannie had never come to the senior citizens center because of old ways and expectations. But Fannie developed new expectations, her own and those of people with whom she came into contact. Fannie’s attitude on life and the people she met amazes me still and I want everyone to know and remember Fannie as the person I knew and grew to respect.

No one is perfect, as Fannie would have been the first to admit her failings. But Fannie knew first hand about change and she knew what expectations were appropriate with change. Fannie also knew that certain expectations about how we treat each other is one of the principals we are taught at a young age, so change is often hard to except.

Sometimes we don’t welcome change, and are afraid that change won’t be to our liking. Fannie was different. She expected changes, and when change came, she was ready to change also. Fannie expected others to make their own adjustments just as she did. This hopefulness and flexibility of attitude toward life helped Fannie be a positive influence on the people she knew.

I expect to duplicate Fannie’s attitude as I grow older and, hopefully, wiser. I just wish I could tell jokes and laugh out loud as often as Fannie did.

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