New Perspectives: A Tale of Dress-Up and Treadmills

When we are young, we often have a simple view of the world and the people in it. We can see
them as fixed and unchanging beings. But sometimes, a moment can change our perspective, and
we see them in a new light. For me, that moment came when I was about six. I saw my
grandmother do something unexpected that sparked new aspirations and expectations for the
woman I wanted to become. It was a small moment that will forever hold a permanent spot in my
memory bank.

My grandmother was known as the sweetest lady with a genial personality, a knack for making
people laugh, and who had never met a stranger. She viewed everyone as family and her
grandchildren as her pride and joy. The days I spent with my grandmother were always filled
with excitement. Even though she had multiple grandchildren, she always managed to make each
of us feel like we were her favorite.

One stormy summer day, we struggled to find ways to occupy our time. After exhausting her
collection of Disney VHS tapes, my grandmother suggested I put on a fashion show. Although I
had forgotten about the boutique that was her closet, her collection of dresses and costume
jewelry overflowed from her closet. So I mixed, matched, and created new outfits, and the only
thing left to complete my “high fashion” look was my grandmother’s signature red lipstick.

After I had perfected my runway walk and model poses down the hall in her high heels, wearing
her “fanciest” dress, and weighed down by costume jewelry, I still had excess energy to burn off.

That was when my grandmother suggested I take a walk on her treadmill. I had never been
allowed on the treadmill before, and this suggestion shocked me. Still draped in my
grandmother’s costume jewelry, I jumped on the treadmill and began my newest adventure.

I started walking at a snail’s pace, and my mind and eyes wandered. Finally, my gaze fell on the
control panel. Curiosity got the best of me, and as I started pushing buttons, it caused the
treadmill belt to move faster and faster. I didn’t know how to turn it off.

“Kristen Marie, what are you doing?”, my grandmother said in surprise.

She rushed over and hit buttons to stop the machine as I clung to the treadmill's side rails,
preventing myself from being flung off.

After the shock of what happened wore off, we both erupted in a fit of giggles. That was when
we heard urgent knocking on the door. Before my grandmother could get the door open, a
woman’s voice erupted from behind the door.

“All this noise has got to stop! Get that girl off that thing!”

The familiar voice belonged to the woman that lived in the apartment below. This woman always
had something to complain about and seemed to have a permanently embedded scowl.
Struck with fear, I quietly got off the treadmill and slowly went to the couch. I folded my hands
in my lap and kept my head down to avoid the women’s glare. That was when it happened.

My grandmother yelled out in a voice that I had never heard before, filled with rage and about
two octaves higher than her normal speaking voice.

“She is MY granddaughter, she is in MY house, and SHE can do whatever she wants!”

The conversation ended as my grandmother slammed the door shut.

I was speechless—the speechless that I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. My sweet, gentle
grandmother was no longer just a lovely innocent old lady. She had transformed into a protective
mama bear that had just been provoked and had to protect her cub.

“Get back up on that treadmill!” she said.

After seeing the mix of fear and confusion in my eyes, her facial expressions softened.
Transforming her back into the grandmother she was before. Too afraid to tell her no, I jumped
off the couch and started to run on the treadmill again.

Looking back on that moment, I realize that seeing my grandmother in a new light wasn’t
random. Instead, it reflected her true character. She was a woman of quiet strength who showed
kindness to everyone she encountered. Yet, she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself or her
family. That was when I knew. I wanted to be exactly the woman my grandmother was.