As I write this, the sun is out in all its glory after having survived another attempt by the moon to black it out.
As a child, I remember experiencing a solar eclipse at school, and I have seen several lunar eclipses in my life. All of them have been something remarkable, something worth looking forward to and experiencing. This year was no different. I can understand why so many people headed north to see the full eclipse. For most of us, it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the amazing things nature does on its own.
I’m glad I got to experience the eclipse and I’m glad I made it through with my eyes intact. Credit for that goes to our office manager Kim Clark, who brought a pair of eclipse glasses to the office.
I would like to think that without the glasses I simply would have stayed inside without trying to see it. But human nature says otherwise. I almost never look directly at the sun. If it isn’t in the middle of my windshield when driving, I just don’t look. But today, when everyone says not to look, everything in me wanted to.
So exactly what is it about human nature that makes people want to do something as soon as we’re told not to? That’s a question for everyone to ponder this week.

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A few weeks ago I used this space to praise the medical industry in Page. Never did I know it wouldn’t be long before we really needed those same facilities and professionals in a bad way.
On Friday, my wife caught a cold that had been going around the family. By Saturday, the mild cold was something much bigger. She was struggling to breathe, coughing so hard she was making herself vomit and in miserable shape. We eventually decided to go to the emergency room because Donna once hadpneumonia and the symptoms were similar.
At the hospital, she was rushed straight to the ER and had a blood oxygen level of 75 percent. Healthy people have an average of 95 percent, and anything under 90 is considered dangerous.
With that information, doctors, nurses and a respiratory therapist went to work. The first goal was to get her more oxygen. Once that was done, they went to work trying to figure out what went wrong.
Donna ended up spending two nights in Page Hospital. I know some have complained, but the care we received was exemplary. Every nurse was caring, kind and quick to help. The doctor was there all three days and he took the time to explain what he was doing and what he found. Being in the hospital is almost never fun, but in Page they made it much easier to handle. Our family, all five kids and myself, were welcome to visit any time we wanted. The nurses made it fun for the kids and offered them drinks and popsicles. The garden out back is wonderful, not only for patients but also their families.
Donna made it home today. She is still not perfect, but she is so much better and we at least have the medicine and information to make things better.
So for the second time, I’m grateful for the medical professionals we have in Page.