In being given the task of interviewing someone 65 or older regarding changes if any in his or her personality since 18, I felt compelled to ask one of my coworkers with whom I have worked with very closely for over five years named Helen.  Upon asking her the question, her answer was indeed yes.  

     Despite growing up in a family of 12, with Helen being the youngest, she felt that she was very happy because of all the attention she received from her siblings.  She also stated that she had less responsibilities at home during childhood.  However, living in a small farm town in South Carolina, the older siblings one by one would get married and leave to find jobs in New Jersey because of the growing industries up north.

     Meeting Toliver Kinney at 14 and courting until she was 17, she felt anxious to follow suit and get married and move north also.  She was more than happy to get out of town.  Initially, with the birth of her two children shortly after, she still remained happy because her husband spoiled her.  Helen was perfectly fine with being a housewife and a stay home mom.  Being familiar with southern home cooking, she was always happy around the kitchen in her home.

     Soon after she was stricken with home sickness, so she would visit frequently to ease this feeling.  By the age of 20, she had her own home and more money because her husband was working two jobs.  This boost in financial status brought alone a new car for her which made her feel contented followed by a change in attitude.  Seeing that the rest of her siblings had established themselves in New Jersey, she believed her dream of freedom came true.

     When she was around 25, both kids were in school and now she felt compelled to take on a job to alleviate her boredom and make her feel more independent.  Unfortunately, her husband became unhappy and made it clear that she must quit working.  Helen became very angry because of these new restrictions placed on her.  He felt her job was to cook and clean with her only freedom being derived from having her own car to go shopping for their food in.  There was a growing conflict in regard to her identity.

     From 27 to 35, that anger was turned inward and she became very depressed.  Soon she began to take Valium and Librium to treat her depressed state.  She thought about her freedom for five years because she felt she wanted out.  Her husband was able to work and go out whenever he pleased.  This created resentment toward him.  the rage from becoming addicted to her medications combined with the growing intensity of the situation at home made her finally file for a divorce.  She felt that it was because of her unhappiness in the marriage that she needed medication.  Since he was a good provider for the children, she thought it was a good idea that they stayed with him but it just wasn’t good for her to be there.

     She found her freedom and true security.  the chains that bound her and the billfold that blinded her were lifted and the pressure on her chest was released.  She felt that because she had given up her teenage years, she had regressed back at age 35 to truly experience life and find out who she truly was as a person, not a wife nor a mother.  Since then, she has let nobody take her freedom away from her because she now knows who she is as an individual.  She now understands that true freedom can be granted by someone else, it has to come from within.