After years of tolerating a hearing disability, a ground-breaking surgery grants one Denverite the tuned-in life she never knew she always wanted.

One of the world’s most ambitious—and notorious—artists has chosen Colorado as his latest canvas. But will the disruption caused by the massive project be worth the trouble?

I haven’t followed in my mother’s footsteps on the way to adulthood—but I’ll always be thankful for the path she took.