719/800 - Rheta
She was my seatmate in our lifelong learning class on Astronomy today. We introduced ourselves and spoke a few words about our anticipation of the course since this was the first class. Meet Rheta.
It was a very good class (I have taken a course taught by this Professor in the past) and at the end of class I asked her if she was in a rush after class and she said she wasn’t. I explained 100 Strangers and made my request for her participation, noting that I was intrigued by what she had shared in the few minutes before class and would like to have her be part of my project. She asked a number of questions but since she had not given consent, I was prepared to take that as a polite “no” by omission and we visited for a few more minutes before the 20 year-old students started taking over the classroom for their Macroeconomics class.
When we reached the exit from the building I was about to wish her a good week when she said “But what did you want to do about your project?” I was happily surprised to find out she was happy to participate. Perhaps I hadn’t picked up on a cue or maybe she was just taking my measure as we talked while leaving the building. I took a few photos as we headed toward the subway station and I knew I wasn’t thrilled with the results but felt guilty for keeping her in the cold and suggested we stop in the coffee shop for me to get to know her a bit better.
Rheta is 84 and a Sociology professor emeritus from the university where we are taking our Astronomy course. When she reached 65 she faced mandatory retirement (the law has since changed) but she was quick to tell me she doesn’t use the word “retirement.” She calls it “moving on.” I understand her distinction and I like it. She is from North Bay, Ontario but trained at the University of Toronto. Surprising to me, most of her teaching was in the Nutrition Department which had recruited her early on. She was with the university for 43 years, an impressive record. She told me the thing she liked most about her teaching career was her relationship with the students. After all this time, she still has students who come to her home to visit and to share a meal with her. They prefer the atmosphere of her apartment to going to a restaurant because it is “cozy and comfortable.” She has three adult children and is proud to be a grandmother six times over. We had common ground in that she told me she had worked as an “untrained” social worker in her youth.
The university website introduces Rheta as follows: "Rheta Rosen is a family sociologist and a professor emeritus at Ryerson University. Besides developing the continuing education Certificate in Family Life Education in 1991, she was active on the committee that created the present Certificate in Family Supports. Rheta teaches Group Dynamics and Interpersonal Communication for our program, and has taught in Ryerson’s School of Nutrition for many years."
While we were having coffee a street person panhandled us and looked to be in pretty rough shape. I gave a coin. Rheta dug into her purse and gave him some change as well, then engaged him in a conversation about his well-being, suggesting that he get a better coat from the shelter and be more attentive to taking his medication for his schizophrenia. The man was surprised at the extent of Rheta’s interest and hardly knew what to say but finally departed promising her that he would look after himself. I felt this said a lot about Rheta as a concerned citizen of the world. When I invited her advice to the project photographers, she said “Relationships. Life is about relationships.”
I don’t recall having had a subject more invested in my project. Rheta asked if I was satisfied with the photo and that she would be happy for me to take a few more if need be. She was even willing to walk around to find a spot that suited my needs, saying “It really isn’t THAT cold.” I took her up on the offer and we walked to a nearby spot I’ve used before and took this photo there before we walked to the subway to go our separate ways. Rheta was surprised that I wasn’t pursuing making a book of my photos and stories and told me that she has an unfinished project involving interviews with seniors in care facilities.
In retrospect, I am fascinated with having met a Professor who has returned to the university where she had her teaching career - as a student. This is the perfect illustration of the concept of lifelong learning. It is said that those who keep learning in their later years are healthier and happier than those who don't. Meeting Rheta gave credence to that theory. She practices Pilates regularly and did downhill skiing until four years ago.
Thank you Rheta for being such an interesting encounter and for participating in 100 Strangers. You are #719 in the 8th Round of my project. See you in class next week.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by the other photographers in our group at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Follow-up: I met Rheta at class the following week and she apologized for not having emailed me with her feedback about the write-up. It turns out her computer mouse had died. Instead of the email, she had a printed copy of my write-up in an envelope with my name on it with suggestions for some minor adjustments. She hoped I didn't mind her making suggestions for accuracy. I told her I was in fact tickled that she'd taken that much time and joked that I was surprised she hadn't used her red pen to mark the paper. She laughed and said "They are just some minor suggestions. You would get a very good grade." I teased "I guess you will always be the professor." It was an enjoyable exchange and I've made the changes she suggested.
719/800 - Rheta
She was my seatmate in our lifelong learning class on Astronomy today. We introduced ourselves and spoke a few words about our anticipation of the course since this was the first class. Meet Rheta.
It was a very good class (I have taken a course taught by this Professor in the past) and at the end of class I asked her if she was in a rush after class and she said she wasn’t. I explained 100 Strangers and made my request for her participation, noting that I was intrigued by what she had shared in the few minutes before class and would like to have her be part of my project. She asked a number of questions but since she had not given consent, I was prepared to take that as a polite “no” by omission and we visited for a few more minutes before the 20 year-old students started taking over the classroom for their Macroeconomics class.
When we reached the exit from the building I was about to wish her a good week when she said “But what did you want to do about your project?” I was happily surprised to find out she was happy to participate. Perhaps I hadn’t picked up on a cue or maybe she was just taking my measure as we talked while leaving the building. I took a few photos as we headed toward the subway station and I knew I wasn’t thrilled with the results but felt guilty for keeping her in the cold and suggested we stop in the coffee shop for me to get to know her a bit better.
Rheta is 84 and a Sociology professor emeritus from the university where we are taking our Astronomy course. When she reached 65 she faced mandatory retirement (the law has since changed) but she was quick to tell me she doesn’t use the word “retirement.” She calls it “moving on.” I understand her distinction and I like it. She is from North Bay, Ontario but trained at the University of Toronto. Surprising to me, most of her teaching was in the Nutrition Department which had recruited her early on. She was with the university for 43 years, an impressive record. She told me the thing she liked most about her teaching career was her relationship with the students. After all this time, she still has students who come to her home to visit and to share a meal with her. They prefer the atmosphere of her apartment to going to a restaurant because it is “cozy and comfortable.” She has three adult children and is proud to be a grandmother six times over. We had common ground in that she told me she had worked as an “untrained” social worker in her youth.
The university website introduces Rheta as follows: "Rheta Rosen is a family sociologist and a professor emeritus at Ryerson University. Besides developing the continuing education Certificate in Family Life Education in 1991, she was active on the committee that created the present Certificate in Family Supports. Rheta teaches Group Dynamics and Interpersonal Communication for our program, and has taught in Ryerson’s School of Nutrition for many years."
While we were having coffee a street person panhandled us and looked to be in pretty rough shape. I gave a coin. Rheta dug into her purse and gave him some change as well, then engaged him in a conversation about his well-being, suggesting that he get a better coat from the shelter and be more attentive to taking his medication for his schizophrenia. The man was surprised at the extent of Rheta’s interest and hardly knew what to say but finally departed promising her that he would look after himself. I felt this said a lot about Rheta as a concerned citizen of the world. When I invited her advice to the project photographers, she said “Relationships. Life is about relationships.”
I don’t recall having had a subject more invested in my project. Rheta asked if I was satisfied with the photo and that she would be happy for me to take a few more if need be. She was even willing to walk around to find a spot that suited my needs, saying “It really isn’t THAT cold.” I took her up on the offer and we walked to a nearby spot I’ve used before and took this photo there before we walked to the subway to go our separate ways. Rheta was surprised that I wasn’t pursuing making a book of my photos and stories and told me that she has an unfinished project involving interviews with seniors in care facilities.
In retrospect, I am fascinated with having met a Professor who has returned to the university where she had her teaching career - as a student. This is the perfect illustration of the concept of lifelong learning. It is said that those who keep learning in their later years are healthier and happier than those who don't. Meeting Rheta gave credence to that theory. She practices Pilates regularly and did downhill skiing until four years ago.
Thank you Rheta for being such an interesting encounter and for participating in 100 Strangers. You are #719 in the 8th Round of my project. See you in class next week.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by the other photographers in our group at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Follow-up: I met Rheta at class the following week and she apologized for not having emailed me with her feedback about the write-up. It turns out her computer mouse had died. Instead of the email, she had a printed copy of my write-up in an envelope with my name on it with suggestions for some minor adjustments. She hoped I didn't mind her making suggestions for accuracy. I told her I was in fact tickled that she'd taken that much time and joked that I was surprised she hadn't used her red pen to mark the paper. She laughed and said "They are just some minor suggestions. You would get a very good grade." I teased "I guess you will always be the professor." It was an enjoyable exchange and I've made the changes she suggested.