Southwest 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 older we get, be it...

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...

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 all of...

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 four...

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 community at the end of...

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 is part of a...

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 freedom....

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 me warm and...

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 looking at joy, the...

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 just the beginning...

One of my indoor projects this winter is to go through an old trunk I have and sort out what to throw out and what to leave for my kids when I’m gone. It’s all part of getting my ducks in a row in...