I was on my way to California after years of living in the Midwest. I had packed everything I owned in my car, and I was ready to start my life all over again. After two days of driving, as I was moving West, I realized I’d lost my way.
It was the end of the spring and I was startled when I realized I was in Death Valley, one of the hottest, driest places on earth, with summer temperature often reaching over 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
I lost my way
That day I drove feverishly, trying to get out of there as soon as possible. In the evening I stopped to rest and it was then that I saw something else. As I walked around I realized the desert was also full of life. In the cooling evening all kinds of creatures were crawling among the unique desert bushes and flowers. The light of the stars at night was sparkling and clear, and the sound of the night wind, later on, made its own form of music.
It is the same with our life, I thought. When we enter Death Valley desert moments in our lives, we can easily miss the beauty and the life still around us. Sometimes, if we pay attention, being lost in the desert might offer experiences and lessons that turn into treasures afterwards.
Take some time to reflect:
Even when entering the death valleys
of our lives, we can still discern
the treasures of our journey.
When paying attention,
hidden within those hot emotions
and difficult moments, you will see
the flowers and the stars,
and all the beauty that still exists around you.
Juan Velasco