About Becki Cohn-Vargas

One year ago, a historian from a museum in Lueneburg, Germany, contacted me. “Are you the great granddaughter of Robert Heinemann?” she asked.

They were looking for descendants of Robert’s father, my great, great grandfather, Marcus Heinemann, who had been a leading Jewish citizen in Lueneburg many years before Hitler. Read More

People transition into retirement in different ways. Some, like professors and therapists, can gradually cut back on their workload. Others enjoy their retirement party and then choose not to have anything to do with their previous career…
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Travel has been an important part of my life. I have lived and traveled in Europe, Asia, and Latin America starting in my 20s until now. Travel makes the world come alive. I love meeting people, making friends, and learning about the different cultures. Read More

“Happiness climbs high early in adulthood but begins to slide downward in the late thirties and early forties, dipping to a low in the fifties. But we recover quickly from this slump…”
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It is so easy to take things for granted – the ground under our feet, waking up in the morning to a new day and, far too often, our relationships. It is so easy to be critical or to notice what is missing or makes us crazy about our partner, parents, children, friends or coworkers. Read More

I was recently diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. The sleep study test found I had lapses of breathing for at least 10 seconds about 35 times an hour. Shocking! Some of you probably have it too…
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One of the songs I have always loved is When I Go by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammar, written two years before Dave’s untimely death at age 49…
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Do you remember a time when you were waiting by the phone for a special someone to call? It was excruciating and endless, bringing with it a roller coaster of feelings. Now in our 60s, we find ourselves waiting again…
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I have written three blog posts about cancer. The first was about the shock and adjustment in the first 10 weeks. The second was about making getting healthy the number one priority. The third was about the liberating feeling of going around bald. Now I feel ready to talk about the deeper effect of cancer. Read More

“True happiness involves the full use of one’s power and talents.” — John Gardner. My friend Laurie just retired. At first she was worried. After 35 years teaching at a university, suddenly she no longer had to set her alarm to get up in the morning…
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