What my 99-year-old friend taught me about the joy of living

Robina Asti fought a quiet battle for acceptance before speaking out for LGBTQ rights when she was 92. Through her perseverance, humour and longevity, she taught many the joy of living as yourself – even if the journey takes time.

The first time Robina Asti opened the door of her New York City apartment to me, I was struck by how tiny she was. Her white hair was swept up in a barrette and her turquoise earrings dangled above her gently sloped shoulders. Her slippers made a soft sound against the wooden floorboards as she padded into the living room of her Upper East Side apartment, which was filled with her late husband’s art, including a portrait of her next to an airport runway – a nod to her love of piloting planes, even at the age of 92. In another corner, a computer screen was ticking away with the prices of stocks she was keeping an eye on, a relic of her life as a trader. “So, what do you want to know about me?” she asked with the swagger and distinctive accent of the rare bird that is a native New Yorker. It was my first clue that her petite frame housed a larger-than-life personality.