After growing up in a large city, Chicago, and graduating from college and teaching in a fair-sized western Michigan town, I moved to small-town Durango with more than a bit of trepidation.

Now, when I leave, I can’t wait to return, knowing that all I need and want is right here, with freedom – for the most part – from traffic jams, strip malls, smog and high crime.

Not that I don’t miss family, Cubs games, art museums, walks along Lake Michigan, and a wide variety of restaurants and shops. But as far as activities go, there’s nothing like a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad with stunning mountain views. Fort Lewis College brings in top entertainment at the concert hall; Merely Players’ performances are Broadway quality; the San Juan Symphony is world class; and the Durango Choral Society is incomparable.

I have been moved by the quality of DCS. The emphasis on pieces, such as “Deep River” and “Here Comes the Sun,” exemplifies the goal of a tradition of contemporary music for the pleasure of young audiences, while still including some classics for all who love Mozart and Bach.

Who needs big city living when Durango offers us all of this talent and entertainment, with almost no traffic jams on the way to our beautiful venues?

Thank you, Durango and Durangoans for all that you offer.

Katherine A. Reynolds

Durango