Portraits of the Elderly Show That to Love, to Suffer, and to Dream is Forever Lasting

Thelma in her Living Room. I got married for the first time when I was 15 years old. After my first husband I had two other and five children. I thought life was just about raising kids and being a mother.

To my surprise, the older people were not just proud of their age and the fact that they made it that far in life, they were also still falling in love and breaking up. They were overcoming their lifetime partner’s death, living out their erotic fantasies or dealing with the loss of their sexual desire.—Freya Najade

If you are lucky, you get old is London-based photographer Freya Najade‘s series of intimate vignettes exploring the life stories of her elderly subjects. Najade captures the present while listening to the past, reminding us that some things never change—to love, to suffer, and to dream are forever lasting.

Thelma’s Boot. My biggest fear is that I can’t take care of myself anymore. This is what keeps me going. Every day.

Thelma’s Vase. I fell in love for the first time four years ago. With Swede I had my teenage years, which I never had. He has the prettiest blue eyes. When he walks through my door, my whole body just warms up. This is a beautiful feeling, but when he is not there it is a terrible feeling. I had my first orgasm with him.

Thelma. One day Swede went to see his son for seven weeks. The seven weeks turned into seven months. I got really ugly with him then. When he came back he didn’t want to touch me anymore.

Squirrel. Things got difficult when we stopped agreeing. Once I started having my own say about things, Swede would go home. People often don’t realize that everyone sees things differenty. This can be a problem.

Desert. My children can’t understand me. They are not proud of me. But I hope one day they will remember me as a nice old lady.

Thelma at a Dance. Slowly I am getting to the point, that I feel I have to move on. I am not a fool just waiting around. If Swede doesn’t want me, I will get around without him.

Chris in his Bedroom. I am happy with my life. I have now been with my partner John for 36 years. It was not always easy, but definitely worth it.

Chris’ Photo Album. John and I went through a lot together. In the 1980s we experienced how almost a whole generation of gay men got wiped out by Aids. Many of our friends in these pictures died within three years.

Chris and John. I was married to a woman for thirteen years. I had seven children with her. I am not only proud of them, but also that John and I raised them together.

Flamingo

Chris and his Dog. To lose my legs was not as difficult as I thought, my divorce and to admit that I am gay was much more difficult for me. But everything that is difficult in life makes you stronger.

At the Dinner Table.

Chris and John in the Pool. When I saw John for the first time, I knew my ship had arrived. Meeting him was the best thing in my life.

At the Gay Church. Ending a relationship is very easy. So many people just walk away from it, while with a little work they just could have stayed together. You have to grow together.

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