In late August, I road tripped across the desert with my parents and 1-year old boy. Coming off a spiritual high from time in Albuquerque, New Mexico for The Living School through the Center for Action and Contemplation, a road trip quickly reminded me how far I have to travel on my own inner journey. But that aside, we packed up the rental car and made our way to California for a family wedding.
We had a week open to explore, so we took it slow and enjoyed the incredible geography of the region. After sitting through incredible spiritual teachings the week before, the geography of the desert was a welcomed landscape. Each stop, and even the drives in between, provided plenty of opportunities for wonder and amazement. My mind was stretched each day as I stared at marvels beyond my comprehension.
Our first stop was the Petrified Forest National Park, where the Arizona desert is at its most spectacular. We drove through the park and stood over the painted desert - a wild expanse of color juxtaposed against the endless blue sky - and we touched stones that used to stand as trees in a tropical forest with the dinosaurs roaming among them. With wonder as a cherished feeling, this is a place that filled me.
