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Ageless Possibilities explores our collective journey as older women, taking care to notice what is around us, what matters to us, and what is inside each of us.  My blog offers reflections on the events of our lives that have made us who we are, explores with courage and curiosity topics that impact us, and supports you as we row north together.

Ageless Possibilities invites you to embrace the possibilities that lie ahead and view aging as a continuous journey of growth, connection, and self-discovery.

Why am I here?

  • I want to reflect on the past and the present as I transition into this new stage of my life with intention

  • I want to challenge the stereotypes we have been labeled with

  • I want to discuss issues that hold meaning for us

  • And, I want to explore the ageless possibilities that are open to us as we become wiser, speak our truth and live meaningful lives

I hope you will join me on this journey because I suspect my stories are your stories and I would love for us to row north together.

My Story

My name is Helen and I live on an island in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and dog. I am a writer, storyteller, reader, walker, solo traveller, gardener, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.

The ONE thing you need to know about me is:

I consider myself an information broker and relationship builder. I have a passion for research, reading, learning, and ideas - and then sharing that information with you! And I love creating a safe space where we can write and share our life stories.

The FIVE things I need in life are:

  • SOLITUDE. I crave time alone and I am blessed with a husband who understands and supports that need. I often head off alone on weekend adventures.  Every 3-4 years, I leave my husband at home and head off for 8-10 weeks of solitary travel to feed my soul. I have walked the Portuguese Coastal Camino, cycled through northern Thailand, rode a camel through the desert in Morocco and hiked the Asturian Mountains in Spain - all while travelling solo!

  • BOOKS. I have been a voracious reader since childhood. I mainly read e-books these pandemic days but I much prefer a large stack of books on my nightstand or coffee desk – preferably books with lots of pages, printed in a small font.

  • OCEAN. I can spend days walking trails in the Pacific Northwest but my heart feels most at peace when I can sit by the ocean listening to the rustle of pebbles conversing with the sea, being sprayed by pounding waves, and feeling the ocean breeze blow my worries away.

  • BIRD SONG. I usually hear birds before I see them and I continue to be awed by the resident birds here on our island – the shrill cry of soaring eagles, the morning song of chickadees, the collective honking of migrating snow geese, the drumming of flickers on our metal chimney, and the shrill whistle of the resident kingfisher living near our pond.

  • SOUNDS. I cannot tolerate noise but there are so many sounds that fill my heart. They include:

    • Gregorian chants

    • The belly laughter of young children

    • My dog’s sighs of deep contentment

    • Red-winged blackbirds introducing the return of spring

    • Purring cats

    • Stuart McLean’s voice

    • Opera arias - especially ‘Un bel di’ aria from Madame Butterfly

    • Rain on a tin roof

    • The sound of wind approaching through rustling trees

Ageless Possibilities acknowledges that it is a privilege and an honour to live and work in the traditional and unceded lands of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.