My desert. . .

It is a fearful feeling to be alone in the desert.

All of us are led to the desert at various stages of life for some specific reason; for it is in the seclusion of the desert that we can see the sun more clearly. In fact, the desert sun can often be all we see while we're there. It can be so hot and blinding that it's difficult to think about anything else. In a crowded and busy life I may actually prefer traveling through the desert over traveling the city streets. Yet, walking is more difficult -- each step may be painful and hot, but it is a time of focus and concentration. There is nothing out there to pull our attention or grab our eyes. Each grain of sand looks the same. The road ahead is no different from the road just passed. Destination and navigation are usually impossible and become unnecessary. There is only the sun and its heat -- sometimes painfully hot and sometimes a comforting and warming light, but somehow the intensity of the sun is mysteriously related to the reason for being in the desert.

But what if the sun was gone? Or, what if something was blocking the sun. In our blindness we may not even know we are in the desert. The painful heat would be gone, but so would the concentration and comfort of a constant light. We would not know the reason for being there nor would we know that a reason needs to exist at all. We may either be confused -- wandering and searching for light, or we would be oblivious -- unaware that the intensity of the sun should be present here. In this state we would be alone -- still possessing the reasons for being in the desert, but only being hurt by them without understanding and without focus. The desert is a fearful place, but how much more fearful if we don't even realize we are there!