The desert doesn’t accommodate you. It stretches you.
I have always liked the America song called A Horse with No Name because it made me feel like I was alone in the desert trying to find meaning in a place of solitude. The desert seemed to me a place of finding multiple meanings or slowly dying. In my world, the desert was something to survive because of the extreme heat in the day and the cold at night.
There are not voices in the desert but constant whispers in our ears. A place of finding secrets, majestic vistas, intense solitude, personal revelations or just a place of silent magic. The desert is a place where anything real or imagined can seemingly come to life. It is the place where mirages seem real and our thoughts are enhanced in the awesome beauty of the desert.
So why am I spending time talking about the desert? It is metaphor for life. Life is what you make it. We have all heard this saying. But the desert doesn’t accommodate you. It stretches you and makes you find shelter and water. You go to the desert understanding that the climate and conditions can be life threatening. You have to plan. You have to be prepared. The desert shows its beauty as well as its extremes.
The ironic part of this moment is that we are living in that definition of desert now. We have neighbors but it is difficult to talk to them. Even identifying our neighbors can be tricky with the masks and keeping a safe distance. COVID-19 has created a virtual desert where we have to mind our driveways and distance. I understand why we have to mind our space, but I miss just being able to say hello to a neighbor without adjusting my mask or putting on gloves. I am looking forward to the day when we can just say hello again. I’m sure many of you do too!
How are you doing with the virtual desert? Let me know.
CLOFOS 