Before I came to Garfield County, I lived in two big cities: Chicago and Denver. I was surprised to learn that I did a lot more walking and biking there than I did in the more rural and suburban settings I’d lived in before. Cars are a hassle in the city. In the country, you have to have one. That means you spend more time sitting. Foolishly, I did a little too much biking in Denver despite the wildfire smoke trapped in the heat inversion. It led to adult onset asthma. Since starting my job here, too much driving and sitting behind a computer edged me over into Type 2 diabetes. (I’d been borderline most of my life but kept it under control through exercise. My siblings, all younger than me, slipped over years ago.) Let’s not even get into sleep apnea. Or dental issues. The story is old as time, because it IS time. I’m getting old. Last May, I started thinking about retirement. I’m just one year younger than my father when he died. Four of my six best friends have died in the last coupl...
Recently I took a train trip from Chicago to Glenwood Springs. I sprung for a roomette with a fold out bunk bed for the night. (And sleeping on a train was just as much fun as I hoped it would be!) As I left Chicago, there was a winter storm coming. But the train just shrugged that weather aside. During the over thousand mile trip, Amtrak passed right through the heart of many downtowns. I caught a glimpse of many libraries. That's not surprising, since there are more than 16,000 public libraries across the nation--more than there are McDonald's or Starbucks. Isn't that good news? In almost every town across the Great Plains, there are those earmarks of place. A library. A Post Office. A school. A town hall. These spaces represent something we don't think about too often: a public investment in knowledge and civic participation. These are the pillars upon which our nation stands. As I sat in my little room and watched the miles fly by, I also listened to an audiobook (B...