‘Aunty Phyllis’ glides into the centenarian fraternity

Mar 07, 2018 News

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Yesterday, yet another strong Guyanese woman joined the special class of human beings called centenarians. Phyllis Hinds, a resident of Lot 61 Remus Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, was born on March 6, 1918.
This publication took time out to pay Hinds, who many fondly call ‘Aunty Phyllis’, a visit at her home which she shares with her daughter Peggy Hinds-Clarke and her husband. At the time, Peggy and other members of the family were busy making preparations for a grand celebration at Herdmanston Lodge for Aunty Phyllis.
Although she was anxious to be the guest of honour at her own party scheduled for last evening, Aunty Phyllis early yesterday afternoon was well engrossed in one of her favourite pastimes – watching soap operas.
She disclosed that her favourites are ‘The Young and the Restless’ and ‘The Bold and The Beautiful’. In fact she is so attuned with the popular television shows that she is usually able to bring her neighbour Shirley Clarke up to speed when she misses an episode. Another favourite pastime for Aunty Phyllis is doing ‘word search’.
By now you can appreciate that Aunty Phyllis’s faculties are very much intact. In fact they are so intact that many are amazed at her ability to have a normal conversation even on the telephone. A reporter from this publication was astonished to learn that it was Aunty Phyllis who answered the telephone when attempts were being made to seek directions to her residence.
Aside from some pains in her knees, growing old has not been a bother to Aunty Phyllis. Although she depends on a walker to get around, she informed, “I don’t complain, because I see a lot of people far younger than me who can’t even get around on their own.”

As a broad smile formed on her face, she added, “I feel happy and I am thankful to God for bringing me this far by faith.”
When asked if she is prepared for a few more years on earth, Aunty Phyllis said, “if God says I am to have it, I will have it; if he says no, then it is no, and I am okay with that.”
She doesn’t know of any family member who has lived to see 100. “All of them died young, I am the only ‘long liver’,” said Aunty Phyllis.
She disclosed yesterday too that aside from “God’s saving grace,” her longevity is perhaps linked to the fact that she took care of herself over the years.
“I care myself…I never take night dew at all. I love my bed and I always eat right,” asserted a smiling Aunty Phyllis. This way of life, she said, translated to her taking early night rests and she related, “I wasn’t the partying type… I always eat right…my good fruits and vegetables too”.
Although she has embraced only good memories of her younger years, Aunty Phyllis, the last of eight children, recalled yesterday that she didn’t grow up with her parents. She revealed that her mother, Lillian Hinds, died when she was just two years old. She didn’t speak of her father though.
But saying the name ‘Grandma Lowden’ certainly had Aunty Phyllis grinning from ear to ear. She remembered living with her grandmother at a residence at Carmichael Street, Georgetown not far from the St George’s Cathedral. She claims to still know the place quite well. Among her fondest memories as a young girl was being a member of the Girls Guides and participating in various activities such as camping.

“Those were happy days,” she recounted.
However, when her grandmother passed away, Aunty Phyllis said that she had to relocate to Robb Street, Georgetown where she lived with her aunt, Rachel Lowden, until adulthood. As an adult, Aunty Phyllis was able to land a job as a Nurses’ Aid at the Palms Geriatric Home. She later migrated to the United States and continued to work for a number of years in the medical field.
However, about 10 years ago, after retiring, Aunty Phyllis said that she decided to return to Guyana. She has ever since been sharing the Agricola home with her daughter and son-in-law. “Peggy [her only child] is taking care of me now. She was born before I even went to the States,” said Aunty Phyllis, as she disclosed how she did not hesitate to share good life lessons with her daughter over the years. Among these, she recalled, were: “Don’t follow bad company; don’t wake up at nights and go all around doing nonsense; care yourself and be strong.”
And this is particularly important to Aunty Phyllis as a long-time member of the Bedford Methodist Church on North Road. “I grew up in there…I went to the school and I have been going to the church there for years now.”
Each day for Aunty Phyllis starts with a prayer and, according to her, these days, “I am served breakfast every morning. Before I used to make my own, but not too long ago I’m being served by my daughter…thank God for her; she takes care of all that now for me.”
Her advice to young people, especially young women today is simple, “you have to slow down, take it easy, and be careful with your choice of men.”
Even before the celebration started last evening, Aunty Phyllis was already the recipient of many cards, bouquets of flowers and gift baskets in honour of her milestone.

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