Heading out of Joshua Tree it feels as though I am taking more than I actually know. What I grasped from the desert goes deeper than can be recognized in the moment. As the sun sets we drive by thousands of Joshua Trees while the mountains silhouette with the colors of the sky. My heart once again questions the leave, but as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped, the universe seemed to say that its time to move on.
We head west into the darkening night. Two hours later we arrive in Yorba Linda where we are greeted by family. Always a lovely way to be welcomed. A surprise visit by Grammie and Papa immediately erases any hesitant thoughts of leaving the desert.
Slightly in disbelief that I just drove cross country with 4 kids, I reminisce long past memories of traveling the west coast long before kids. We immediately switch gears and settle in LA style. Pools, beaches, traffic and Disneyland fireworks.
We hang hard in Laguna Beach as I am awakened with the Pacific Ocean. Once again ocean mama energizes me with her love. Suddenly the desert is washed off and I am excited to travel the coast. However, there is still a small piece of the desert with us. I find an avocado in the van that has a hole with little bite marks. Hmmm….remembering the pitter patter we heard on the roof of the van the last night of the desert, I instantly recognize that we have actually carried a piece of the desert with us. As we release our friend into the wild, Free feels a deep sadness as he declares that he is our pet. Knowing we can’t keep a mouse, we let it go sweetly by a nice creek. We let the desert go, yet bring the spirit to the city.
