Explore, Create, Inquire, Seek, Share, Learn

Living in Truth or Consequences, as the days grow longer and the temperature rises I walk each afternoon from this neighborhood to the river. Green and gold and red paint pebbled desert soil. Lavender wildflowers and miniature daisy-like faces cluster, whispering and swaying in late spring breeze. Cacti swell as bright green, soft buds sprout between spines along every curve. Will they open tomorrow or next week into papery, delicate blossoms of yellow and fuchsia? How many days can petals survive the dry wind before fluttering, following butterflies?

I think about life here, persistently surviving harsh summers, dry seasons, occasional winter ice. To lie dormant, gray atop sand between stones, under hundreds of sunny days year after year requires deep tenacity. Perhaps there’s a silent, sort of perseverant faith within these greening weeds. Faith – a knowing, a surety, a nod to what is and what will be again, even when elusive, invisible – faith is a consciousness weeds can’t possess. Desert life does not contemplate its existence in the way I do.

Each cactus, each splintery spiny shrub growing out of the side of a rock reminds me of the ease and luxury of my life. The sun-cured, lined topography of a desert resident’s face displays his story of resilience and survival. I question the purpose, the meaning, the reason for continuing to strive, plan, practice, play, breathe.

The deer family playing by the Rio Grande, trotting gracefully across deserted roads towards shelter and water doesn’t dwell on plight or joy.

The bird choir singing and dancing, celebrating another day, another tree, does not seem to worry whether they’ll wake again tomorrow or survive Summer’s heat.

I am genetically predisposed to question everything, and believe none of the answers offered. My family is filled with psychiatrists, artists, musicians, lawyers, environmentalists, scholars, soldiers, seekers. Regardless of profession we think think think. We argue and laugh and wonder and revel and gather and scatter and love. I’m relatively certain I’m not alone in my questioning all there is.