Resilience in Age

Bianca R., President of Thomas A. Edison High School, shares her dedication to GlamourGals and realizing the beauty of aging throughout her lifetime.

I started GlamourGals my freshman year of high school, while most freshmen weren’t in any clubs. I had three. I wanted to grow and discover what was right for me. GlamourGals turned out to be the perfect fit, I stuck with it and found purpose. I loved how close everyone was. I could easily make friends and bring them along for fun activities that would brighten someone else’s day. I’ve always loved the elderly, especially because of my great-grandma. She was sweet, though my mom said she wasn’t always that way when she was younger. But with age comes wisdom, and over time, not many people wanted to be around her anymore. My mom told me I would hold her hands, talk to her, and say “your hands are so pretty” in Spanish, her native language. Her hands were wrinkled and weak, but to me, they were beautiful. 

Aging is beautiful because it’s the sum of all our life experiences, both good and bad. It gives us character. But character can change, especially in isolation, like it did for my great-grandma. That same change affects many elderly people who feel forgotten. I wanted to help change that. I’ve worked hard for the position I’m in now. I’ve had to reach out to many senior homes, organize events, and keep the club running smoothly. Things didn’t always go as planned, but I never gave up. That perseverance taught me just how resilient I am, not only as a person but as a leader. As President of GlamourGals, I’ll never stop trying for my team, my club, or the people we serve.