Authentic Aging – The Durango Herald

A conscious and loving approach to death and dying

My friends Christine and Helen are death doulas. They are nonmedical professionals who provide emotional, spiritual and informational support for those nearing the end of their lives, and al...

DATE: Apr 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Another layer of cleaning out

I’m trying to clean out a bit. My house feels cluttered and it’s a good winter project. As I age, it feels good to not leave all this for my kids to deal with when I die. My house is small, ...

DATE: Mar 3, 2024 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Friendships changing as we age

It’s interesting how some friendships have withstood time just as strong as they ever were, and others have faded away. Some old friends have moved, some have died. Others are just not reson...

DATE: Feb 4, 2024 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Hope in the New Year

As we move into 2024, many of us are feeling a loss of hope, of any expectation that things will get better, kinder, calmer, more sane. With our beautiful earth disintegrating with fires, fl...

DATE: Jan 11, 2024 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Making some gains with MAID

At the end of October, we held an end-of-life-options forum here in Durango. The people from End of Life Options Colorado came from Denver to explain the Medical Aid in Dying Law (MAID), int...

DATE: Nov 29, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Twenty years of writing and change

November marks 20 years I have been writing columns for The Durango Herald. I approached Bill Roberts, then opinion editor, with ideas for writing about children. He had me submit three samp...

DATE: Nov 1, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

So many deaths, so little time left

It’s daunting. So many people I know and care about are dying, it seems like all of a sudden. People I am close to, my contemporaries, my friends. A woman I had dinner with just last month. ...

DATE: Oct 3, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Choosing our disposal

What do we do with our bodies when we die? Who, what, where ... here are some details of what’s available here in Southwest Colorado. There are so many more choices now, in our more environm...

DATE: Sep 2, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Parenting at our age!

Mothers will always be mothers, and fathers will always be fathers. Even if our children are in their 40s, 50s and 60s, we still love them, care for them as much as possible, give them what ...

DATE: Jun 3, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Ancient wisdom coming to the rescue!

A broken arm, a surgery to add a plate and screws to my already metal-filled body, and much pain later, I find myself reflecting on the past several weeks. To lose use of my dominant, right ...

DATE: May 6, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

What do we remember about our lives?

While visiting a friend in hospice recently, I was struck by how perceptive this man is in his memories. He wanted to talk about all the “coaches” he has had in his life, people that guided ...

DATE: Apr 1, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Voluntary stopping eating and drinking

Sometimes conversations with other elders are about how we want our deaths to be. We want them gentle, peaceful, surrounded by loved ones (or not). Many friends of mine have died recently. O...

DATE: Mar 4, 2023 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging