Nature's Grace

The mild winter breeze of the Sonoran desert was a welcome from the night before. The day started with the sun brightly shining as I was laying in my tent and resting my head on my girlfriend’s shoulder while feeling the wind slip into our tent.  It was akin to laying on the beach like those people you’d see in Sandals commercials smiling and looking so care-free. Come to think of it, the only thing different in my situation was coarser sand and the lack of a large body of water. That’s not to say there isn’t any water out here, it’s just not visible to the untrained eye.  Fortunately, wild animals have been taught through evolution to survive in this harsh climate. What my girlfriend and I were doing was precisely that, surviving out in the desert. After living more than a year out in the Southwest we have adapted to many of the extremes desert living has to offer. We have been witness to extreme heat, extreme sun exposure, extreme dryness, extreme sand storms, and extreme dehydration (no joke out here). 

Out in the high desert plains in Southeastern California Joshua Tree National Park boasts plenty for those willing to explore. This was our destination for the weekend. It's only a 3 hour drive for us and well worth the journey. Unfortunately all the camping sites were taken in the park so we resorted to taking advantage of our free public lands outside the park courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management. We set up camp near a monument that commemorated a camp site from WWII that General Patton had established for training. It wasn’t much of a memorial having just a 5 foot tall brick monument with a plaque describing the details of the historic military camp. We took advantage of the marker for our friend that would joining us later that evening. But while waiting for our friend we experienced the oddity of rain in the desert. We were struggling setting up our tent in strong 25 mph winds. While wrestling with our rainfly and ground stakes I looked to the west at the looming clouds and instinctively knew rain was on the way. I had a feeling that these dry dust covered bushes and flowers around us were rubbing their hands together in anticipation. As the last of the sun rays disappeared behind the dark looming clouds we began to feel sprinkles. It felt nostalgic feeling the raindrops dampen our clothes and skin. The nostalgia was not enough to keep us exposed and become soaked in the storm. We retreated into our vehicle to wait out the storm. This was a legit storm with a steady stream of round raindrops falling fantastically. The ground never pooled or puddled that night but for a desert rain, it was enough to dramatically change the landscape.

The changes were more visible in the morning as the spring flowers were awakening to the morning sun. Having absorbed much of the precipitation throughout the night these flowers and vegetation in the desert were ready to blossom. The beauty of the desert is easy to observe after a rain. The beauty in life can sometimes be hard to see. With the rush of our lifestyles and getting wrapped up with all the instant information our fingers provide it’s overwhelming at times. Disconnecting and appreciating nature is not the full answer either but it does help. Usually I reach this content with my running but just hiking and being in nature reaps rewards all of their own. The hardest part is transitioning back into society after a successful detox from technology. I instantly feel my senses overload with the simple act of turning my phone on. There is so much information uploading within minutes. Missed calls, voicemails, texts, tweets, updates, weather alerts, friend requests, emails, and recommended podcasts I should download. But I suppose this is the life modern man is exposed to. And I am just a man who must go forth and survive. I suspect the balance I keep with regular ventures off the grid keeps my mental health going strong. That and having a companion that shares my sentiments helps quite a bit too.

Surviving is important but what of those who have not? Surviving is critical for life but also critical for life is death. I received the news my grandmother had passed away this morning from phone messages left by my parents. I was in a pleasant mood on the drive back home from my wonderful weekend when I heard this heartbreaking news. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace. What is life if not a capstone of mortality? Yes it is difficult to lose a loved one and feel sadness with their passing but an understanding of life and death can ease that pain. I looked at the passing landscape of sand buttresses and outcroppings of earth collapsing from natural erosion processes with nothing but thoughts of how interconnected we all are to this earth. The hummingbirds that were picking nectar above my head from the flowering Desert Lavender next to my tent this morning are as much a part of this earth as anything else in this world that exists. There is a word for the accepting of God’s presence on earth. I believe that word is grace. If nature’s presence is as real as I feel it is, then I certainly felt the grace of nature this morning. That peace that I felt thinking about my grandmother was another part of this world that I am thankful for. I feel as though her passing is another experience that ties me to this planet. Her memories may be gone with her but her significance lives on through me and through all those that build a relationship with me.

My sister recently sent me an email with an article that claimed relationships are the true meaning in life. I can buy that. I would also add that those relationships be not limited to people but to pets, places, hobbies, and of course nature. Relationships are nothing if not a recognition of existence between another. That recognition can have various ranges of significance for either party. But that bond, that relationship exists regardless of either party's opinion. Thus, my relationship with my grandmother is there and will remain so as long as I live. 

As for the rest of the trip, it was full of wonderful experiences. Some of which were captured on film but mostly they were just shared among us. It’s such a peaceful experience living in the moment and focusing not on the future but in the present. Experiencing nature’s grace.