It might be aging or my continuous opening up, but I am moving steadily to bring more color into my life.

It just feels good, and Maria is wildly enthusiastic about the idea. She’s been looking at my drab blue uniforms for more than 11 years. I’m getting paler and stuffer, but I don’t need to be dull.

I wore a red felt halt to the Bishop Maginn High School Graduation (below). A reporter for a local paper was so shocked she mentioned it in a story about the graduation ceremony.

Color has always been important to me, especially in my photography. But as I move slowly but steadily towards the edge of life (Maria and I talk about death often, I want to mention it here from time to time), I feel the need to have color around me and me.

I’m doing these several ways at the moment.

First, I’m buying a couple of khaki pants that are not blue. Secondly, I’m buying a few shirts that are not Chambray farmer shirts.

I’ve found a pretty stylish clothing store online, it’s hip without being over the top, and it’s different. You’ll be seeing me in these clothes soon; I wore one of their shirts to the Bishop Maginn graduation. Maria bought this blue one for me.

I’m doing some other things as well. For example, in my travels with the Army of Good, I meet many young, beleaguered women – Mansion aides, nurses in doctor’s offices and hospitals.

They absolutely adore the necklaces that the Amish women make and sell.

So I hand them out whenever I go to a doctor’s office or the Mansion. The response is quite amazing. So I always carry some in my photo bag.

I pay for them myself; they are not a function of the Army of Good but a personal expression of appreciation and a reminder about bringing color and warmth into my life and the people around me.

I’ve given out 20 so far; the recipients love them and wear them all the time.

I’ve also given them out to the Mansion residents who come to hear me read my stories (because of my foot, I can’t do it for the next two weeks) and to store clerks and women (and some men) I meet in the course of shopping and doing chores.

You’d be surprised at the number of men who loved wearing colorful necklaces.

I feel like a Johnny Appleseed of color.

I take many pills every day, and I got sick of looking at the bland white plastic pill container. It made me feel especially old.

After trawling on Amazon, I found two colorful cases. (I’m going for two weeks of pills)  Since I take pills two times every day, this will brighten up the day and make taking pills a bit less clinical.

In addition, the Amish women have turned me onto their bracelets. I love looking down at my hand while I type or reach for my wallet or turn on my car’s ignition and see bright colors.

I wear three on my left wrist.

Color has its limits for me.

I don’t believe men my age should wear pastel, white sneakers, shorts, sockless sandals, sandals with socks, or sleeveless shirts. I don’t wish to be that colorful or colorful in that way.

Photography has taught me that color matters, and I know it matters to me. So I’ll be wearing more, distributing more necklaces, and giving thanks to my pillboxes.

Aging, like life, is what I make of it. Every single day. We all have to die, but we don’t have to be gloomy about it.