Twenty-nine Palms

Good memories give hope for a better tomorrow, and the quest for more keeps one going even through tough times. I might not wish to recreate or replicate these memories necessarily but reminisce them fondly, reliving the joy it gave my heart once. Some I may be able to put in words, and a few others I may fall short. 

Fresh in my memory, almost as clear as the blue sky and the Sun shining above as I write this, is the sight of the milky way on a pitch dark July night’s desert sky, as seen a couple of years back. That night had a profound impact on my little family, so much so that my then eight-year-old celebrated her next birthday around the theme of the milky way, accompanied merrily by all the gregarious planets. She also encouraged her friends to bring donations for a chosen organization and not gifts for herself as her perspective on life was forever changed. My two-year-old was only beginning to learn the art of speaking still managed to recite the names of the aerial objects he saw in the night sky after that night. My husband and I often close our eyes and steer our minds to that corner of our brain where we have etched a clear picture of that night. Our hearts fill with joy as we breathe in the smell of the desert air, perhaps for a second before our memories fade again.

We may or may not be back at Joshua Tree National Park in California again, but I can tell you this place and that trip will forever hold a special place in our hearts. There is a stretch of road from the exit of the park whose out-lines fade into the horizon. I have a photo of myself sitting in the middle of that road, which also is my favorite vacation snap ever. Just over two hours away from here is the L. A city and its famed Hollywood sign but ironically, the star-lit night sky outshined all those for me. No glitz and glamor nor buildings made of brick and stone gave me as much joy as that stretch of pristine desert land and the sights my heart shall yearn, albeit forever.