Esperanza Gutiérrez Aguilera, known as Esperancita, is an example of a love of life, who at 94 years of age enjoys varias activities, many of which she discovered when she reached adulthood, such as painting, writing books and giving motivational lectures to young people and older people.
Esperancita recalled that at the age of 65 she approached DIF Zapopan and since then she has taken all the workshops, she has written three books about her life, she has been Senior Queen of Jalisco, as well as representative of athletics, singing and regional dance.
As one of the longest-lived users of the Metropolitan Center for the Elderly (Cemam), of the System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF) Zapopan, she stands out as a faithful witness of active older adult, takes classes in oil painting and is very dear to those who teach each of the workshops, everyone knows and shows affection for her.
In addition, two decades ago, she was State Queen of the Elderly Jalisco, proudly showed her first chozno, that is, a daughter of her great-great-granddaughter, who also forms the fifth generation of her direct descendants.
She said that she had 19 pregnancies, of which 14 children were born, and hence her offspring of 39 grandchildren, 62 great grandchildren, 10 great great grandchildren and one more to be born, and her chozna.
“I married as a girl, I was 14 years old and my husband was 17, so I dedicated myself to having children every year, it was all work, but in the DIF I discovered everything I could do, I took walks, I got a first place medal in dance folkloric,” she said.
Questioned about whether she considers herself a happy person, she said that she definitely is and is precisely what she encourages in the conferences she has had with groups of students, to whom she also tells them that the most important thing is to live in the present.
“I give talks to the kids about dignified old age and life project, they once asked me if, at my age, I had dreams, and I told them that every day that dawns and I see that I am living, a dream begins,” Esperancita said. She admitted that people always live through bad things, but “I’m so happy that I do not remember what happened”.
She also shared that it was at this stage of her life that she managed to develop the ability to write, and so far she has three published books where she talks about her life and her experience as an active older adult.
“Thank God because he has allowed me to have so much life,” said this wise woman who says that the limits are self-induces and she is an example that everything can be achieved when there is an attitude of love for life.
“God raised us to be happy, but ask yourself if those around you are happy,” said Esperancita, who is proud to remember that, although she did not have the opportunity to study, she has done many things because she likes to be well and enjoy life.
“I worked a lot in the church, I made a short film, a commercial, I always have things to do,” said this beautiful human being who now enjoys knowing her chozna, fifth generation, thanks to her long life.
With the new experience of her chozna, she will undoubtedly have more material to write, as well as continue sharing her great wealth of wisdom and human quality through the example of respect, love, help to others and the unstoppable taste for learning.
On the other hand, the director of the Cemam, Guadalupe Díaz González, assured that Esperancita is an icon in this center, is active and very participative. “She once told me that when I could not do one thing I would do another and that’s the way it was”.
