Rushden woman fulfils lifetime resolution of writing her life story - aged 90!
The new year is often a time for setting and attempting to keep resolutions.
Last year, 90-year-old Jenny Nixon of Rushden had a resolution – the resolution she had wanted to achieve for many years was to write her life
story.
And the opportunity came about when Jenny attended a talk given by Glennis Hooper, founder of the Crazy Hats Breast Cancer Charity.
Glennis had written and published the story of the charity and her life, entitled ‘Glennis Hooper: She’s One Crazy Lady,’ when the charity sadly closed in 2022.
Glennis continues to go out and about in the county giving talks promoting the importance of breast cancer awareness and promoting her book.
At the talk, Jenny, a breast cancer patient herself, asked Glennis if she would help her.
Glennis said she would help if she could, thinking Jenny’s request was breast cancer-related - but it wasn’t.
Jenny said: “Would you help me to write my life story?”
Slightly taken aback, Glennis thought back to when she first started to write her story back in 2003.
In response, Glennis said: “Well, Jenny, if it takes us as long to write yours as it did to write mine, you’re going to be 110 and I shall be your age, 90, so we’d better get going, hadn’t we?”
And from that moment, the pair teamed up and starting putting pen to paper.
Glennis of Wellingborough said: “It was Jenny’s eyes that got me.
"She really did look pleadingly at me and I knew she really did want to write her story.
“What had I agreed to? I had written my own story but had never contemplated writing for someone else.
"I didn’t know anything about Jenny at all but something told me I had to do this.
"How we would do it, I didn’t know, but after a pleasant get-together over tea and cakes the following Sunday, the teacher in me came to the fore and, together, Jenny and I devised a plan and a timetable to make a start.
"The friendship and trust grew from there and I quickly realised what a lovely person Jenny was.
"It was also a huge and exciting challenge for me.”
Speaking about writing her life story, Jenny said: “I have always wanted to write my life story so that my children and grandchildren know and understand how I lived; how the life I lead was so different to the lives they are living now.
"Ninety years is a long time and there have been so many changes to lifestyles in that time.
"Even now I wish I had asked my parents more about their lives.
"The life I have led, and am leading, is nothing special but it has been such an interesting life, all with its ups and downs.
"It is all those moments that I want to record for future prosperity and as a kind of legacy for my family – for when I am gone, they can’t ask me, can they?
"Listening to Glennis giving a talk about her life set the wheels in motion.
"I hadn’t planned to ask for her help but was so grateful when she said she would help me.
"That was all a few months ago and I have to say what a wonderful time we had piecing together so many memories.
"Glennis and I formed a strong relationship, we bonded immediately and I think of her as a new and special friend.
"Being an ex-teacher, she kept me on task and guided me on issues I had no idea about.
"I am delighted with the finished book and felt enormously proud when presenting it to my close friends and family at my 90th birthday.
"It is such a wonderful keepsake and I feel thrilled that I persevered and fulfilled my lifetime resolution.
"If I can do it, anyone can and I strongly recommend other people of my age, and indeed, younger, to write theirs.”
Over the next few months, Jenny and Glennis met up every Thursday afternoon, with Glennis having set Jenny ‘homework.’
Through lengthy discussions and the use of a notebook and dictaphone to record memories and facts, cups of tea and the odd slice of cake, Jenny’s story quickly came together.
The plan was to get copies professionally bound and printed to be given out to family and friends at her 90th birthday in December.
Jenny’s long-term resolution had been achieved.
Her book, ‘Reflections of My Life’ became a reality and was printed in time.
Glennis said: “It was a wonderful few months spending time with Jenny.
"It was a privilege to be able to get to know more about her life and to be able to present her life story the way she had imagined and wanted.
"It involved a great deal of research and time looking through photos and paperwork, but it was lovely sitting with Jenny, seeing her ‘lost’ in her thoughts, often saying, ‘Oh, it was such a long time ago’ – which nearly became the title of her memoirs!
"I felt so proud of her in the way she stuck to it and never faltered.
"To see her present her book to her loved ones was a very special, and moving, occasion.
"I thank Jenny for giving me the opportunity to help her; for trusting me to get her story written the way she wanted and for her friendship which will remain very special - she really is a remarkable lady.
"Well done Jenny, she’s already thinking what her next project could be!”
Jenny really is living proof that there is a story in all of us...