Author - The Durango Herald

Outgoing or quiet, where are you?

Where are you on the spectrum of solitude, or being out in the community interacting with others? Has our line between introversion and extroversion changed as we age? Many of us ...

DATE: Mar 7, 2020 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Choosing a rational suicide after a complete life

There is a difference between committing suicide and an elder choosing to end their life to avoid continued suffering from terminal illness. We regularly hear in the news about p...

DATE: Jan 31, 2020 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Doctor appointments are becoming a way of life

I’ve decided to get all my medical appointments done in December and January, to start the year out healthy. It seems like many of us are going to more and more appointments the o...

DATE: Jan 3, 2020 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Watching the Mercury transit and seeing our fragile condition

Fort Lewis College professor Charlie Hakes, who writes the astronomy column for The Durango Herald, set up a solar telescope with two different viewing lenses and filters in the third-floor ...

DATE: Dec 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Avoiding and accepting pain as we get older

In October, I wrote about my recent accident, the broken ribs, and only touched on the pain that came with it. Pain deserves its own column, as many of us are living with chronic pain, and a...

DATE: Nov 2, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

As we get older, accidents will happen

There I was, having such a fun summer swimming at the lake, traveling, seeing family and dear friends, and eating summer’s bounty. Then – oops – I had a paddleboarding accident and fractured...

DATE: Oct 6, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Getting creative with living ideas as our situations evolve

It’s interesting to see how people are living out the final years of their lives. I’ve always been curious about different ways we can all feel cared for, supported and in commun...

DATE: Sep 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Giving back ... or not – that’s a dilemma we may face as we age

As we age, part of our growth and development moves us to give something back to our families, our communities or to the world. Caring for others and working for a better world i...

DATE: Aug 2, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

The uncertainty in our lives

The fact that we don’t know – that nothing is certain and we therefore can’t hold on to anything – can evoke fear and depression, but it can also evoke a sense of wonder, curiosity and f...

DATE: Jul 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Sleeping bags and unfinished business

Going through my camping gear a few weeks ago before an outing to Utah, I was struck by how long I’ve had my sleeping bag. It has traveled many wonderful places with me and kept ...

DATE: Jun 1, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Joy and happiness for this time in our lives

There are many “happiness” studies these days, looking at what makes us happy as we age, who is the happiest and where do happy people live. To be truly happy, I believe we are l...

DATE: May 4, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Opening the door to dependence

I have entered new territory. The door has just opened for me into the world of dependence as I age. Hiring my neighbors to help me shovel the snow in February feels like it’s ju...

DATE: Apr 6, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging