This November marked my one-year anniversary of having moved to Durango. Wow, what a year it’s been.

When I had just about settled into my new home ... BAM! COVID-19 cascaded over the world and changed life as we know it. As the holiday season is upon us, I am still counting my blessings. The number one thing I’m thankful for this year: living in Durango!

Life has been hard in La Plata County. Life has been hard everywhere this year. Working in tourism, the industry of the economy which has taken the hardest hit this year, has been especially wearing. But when I start to get discouraged or down, I remind myself of how truly lucky I am.

Last November, I moved from San Francisco, California. I still love that city and it will always have a place in my heart. But I know now I moved at the right time. In San Francisco, I would have been paying twice as much rent as in Durango with an apartment of half the size. And that apartment would have been my entire world in 2020. In urban areas across the country people are isolated in their homes, paying for the benefits of a city without being able to experience the reasons they pay that premium. The arts, entertainment, and dining options that give cities so much appeal have been shuttered this year. Additionally, this year many people realized they can work from anywhere with internet. People are moving further from their company headquarters to cash in on a better quality of life.

This remote worker urban exodus is one of the reasons La Plata County is experiencing a real estate boom. 2020 has shuffled our priorities. What is important to us now is living somewhere where we can venture outside without fear of crowds. Outdoor recreation is what has kept us sane. With our 300 days of sunshine per year, we have been able to escape our home base in every season. Durango is renowned as a healthy community. While the area has experienced a spike in cases, the fact we are an active and health-conscious area will keep our fatality rates low as we weather this storm. What has previously been a hurdle for Durango in some respects, its remoteness, is now one of its largest assets. Off-the-beaten-path is trendier than ever.

One of my favorite reasons to love Durango in 2020: our friendly community. Everyone across the globe has been cranky this year. You can sense the tension in Zoom meetings and drivers seem to have especially short fuses. But Durango remains relatively warm in a very cold world. The individualistic way of life in cities is not conducive to a strong sense of community. Here in Southwest Colorado, we still wave to each other on the street and greet each other with a kind smile, even when its covered by a mask. The tight knit of a small town has been especially comforting during the loneliest time in history.

While we prepare to mourn the year of 2020 and turn over a much-welcomed new leaf, don’t forget to keep perspective. They say “the grass is always greener on the other side.” Even in 2020, Durango still seems pretty green to me.

Rachel Brown is the executive director of Visit Durango. She can be reached at 261-1052 or rachel@durango.org.