Slice of Life: ‘Aches and pains kept aside, I enjoy my life at this age’

At 68, I am a model and people tell me that I am an inspiration to them. I do a lot of things like reiki healing, zumba, modelling, and also run a bakery.

 In 2011, I started to model and it was completely by chance. I had gone with a friend’s child for a shoot and they said that they need somebody. They asked me if I would do it, and I said, ‘I love it!’. When I was 65, I walked the ramp. It is such a high when you see the people in front of you! I am a widow. I got married when I was 23, but my husband passed away when I was 37. He was a pilot and died in an air crash during the War of Jaffna.

What got me through the pain was my children. I have two beautiful daughters. I was the only child, and my mother and cousin gave me a lot of support. I turned to the Lord then and he is my everything. I do a lot of things to keep myself busy, because otherwise the loneliness would kill you. I am a people’s person, and I love to be surrounded by them. I have five very dear friends. While we are not as young as your lot, we still go to the movies. Though we cannot whistle at the screen, we do our own bit of shouting and hooting.

For those worrying about their age and all that, my advice is to just go out there and do it. By God’s grace, I am enjoying my life. There are a few aches and pains here and there, but otherwise all is okay.