California centenarian reflects on her life over 100 years, still says the last three years have been the worst she's seen
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"Phyllis’ reflections can often skip over years, even decades, including the Depression, World War II, and the conflicts and turmoil to follow. Her favorite times? Sending her two children, Ann and Tod, to college in Davis, where she lives today: “We were finally able to afford a university,” she said. “They were young and good-looking kids, having such a good time, making good grades. That pleased Jim and I because we weren’t able to do any of that. That was the '60s and '70s — not a good time for the country, because of so much turmoil going on, but good for us personally."
While she reflects on the tumult of the past, she says nothing compares to the past few years, which have been the toughest of her century here. When it comes to the “triple whammy” of the rise of the far right and fascism here, climate change, and the pandemic, she says it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed and at times helpless. “It’s not because we can’t fix it; we can. Nothing is impossible. I’ve seen it over and over,” she said. “We can choose horrors, or we can work toward something better. But you never stop trying. You have to try.”
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