Then and Now –Part 1

 Part 1: Then and Now – A Life Rewritten

There was a time—not that long ago—when families like mine lived modestly but securely. We had what we needed, and we made do. My dad worked as a lineman and mechanic for BC Tel. My mom baked bread, canned peaches and tomatoes, and Sunday dinner was often rabbit—raised right on our little hobby farm.

We weren’t rich, but we were rooted. I remember the excitement of going to Woodward’s grocery store at Guildford. That was a big deal—a special outing. Everything was more local, more grounded, more personal.

Now, fast forward to 2025, and the world feels upside down. The pace is frantic. In the same streets where kids used to bike, scooters and electric bikes zip by, carrying gig workers delivering everything from sushi to shampoo. The bike lanes are dangerous, and apartment lobbies buzz with couriers, strangers in and out all day long.

We used to cook. We used to gather. Now, people—especially single moms or young workers—order food because they’re too exhausted, or they don’t have kitchens at all. A woman I met at the beach told me her grandson lives in Japan and wants a unit without a kitchen—because it’s cheaper and street food is the norm.

And here? Here in the fourth most expensive city in the world, seniors—some not even officially “seniors” yet—are couchsurfing, walking dogs, cleaning friends' homes for scraps, or giving up entirely after being rejected for work too many times.

I know. I’m one of them. I went back to school at 28 as a mature student. At 40 had a child I raised a child alone. I took my pension early, and now? I get $275 a month. That’s not even rent for a week.

We’re not lazy. We’ve just been left behind.

Families don’t know what to do. We’ve stopped talking about it. Even my own sisters, well-off and comfortable, will say things like, “We can’t afford to hire anyone,” while still paying me $50, cookies, and a chocolate bar for four hours of cleaning. I love them. But it hurts.

Another friend pays me $20 to walk her dog—but wants the dishes done, the plants watered, and now… to brush the dog too.

People are cheap. Because they’re scared too. The wealth gap isn’t just about money anymore—it’s about dignity, and who gets to feel human.