Healing comes in many forms…words, songs, the wind rustling through the aspens or oaks. The ranching community intimately knows the reality of social isolation, long hours, no vacation days, and variable income. Whether using idioms that evoke western grit or leaning into difficult emotions through verse, one thing stands out: words matter. Let’s apply them for good health. Join poets Darrell Holden and M.L. Smoker, and musicians Lara Manzanares and Matt Robertson in the art of understanding life’s challenges in order to better live its joys. Open-minded. Whole-hearted. Thoughtfully worded. It’s a life-affirming state of mind.