Threshold

I approached this threshold on my first desert hike.

I hiked out over the desert and up into the mountains to a large canyon that was dotted with oases.  

I hiked from oasis to oasis. The desert drew me, but the vision of the impossible lush green within the treacherous landscape sustained me. And drove me forward.

I remember the moment I decided finally to take the trip that had been at the edge of my vision for years.

I remember the exhilaration I felt as I passed the boundary that marked the desert.

I remember the first step into the dry, gritty landscape.

I remember reaching this threshold. Two boulders stood sentinel and dared me to be mindful of the choice I was making. 

And the air was different on the other side.

Beauty in the Night: Meditations in the Dark Time of the Year. I don't know if this will be a series, but if there is one in me, this is what I am drawn to thinking about and to writing about these days. 

Photo: (c) 2015, Katherine Cartwright