The images on my television screen mesmerize me–aerial shots of stunning desert landscapes set to a soothing soundtrack of strings and flutes. Earth Moods is my favorite series on the National Geographic streaming service. In only five episodes, it takes me on a journey around the globe, flying over tropical islands, deserts, cities, and tundras.
The desert episode is my favorite. The camera glides above sand, the color of copper sizzling beneath a crackling sun and blue sky. Two scorched trees whose bony limbs hang like skeleton fingers stand in solidarity among bareness. I soar over alluvial fans–massive rock formations, dollops of burnt meringue with stiff peaks.
Roaring water crescendos into the foreground. I fly above green trees in a canyon with a waterfall cascading from a boulder—an oasis within the desert. Relief from the searing heat, an answer to a prayer.
Thank goodness that no matter how hot and dry your desert, there is always beauty and a nearby waterfall. If you seek it, you will find it.
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Something was up when my optometrist paused during my eye exam, studied whatever she had been scribbling, scrunched her face, and announced, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. We’re going to have a short intermission.”
Mackenzie Finklea is an anthropologist and the author of Beyond the Halls: An Insider’s Guide to Loving Museums. While attending the University of Texas, she discovered her love of the humanities, human culture, and archaeology. She also developed an interest in museums and their cultural history. Mackenzie published Beyond the Halls to make museums more accessible, user-friendly, and fun for visitors seeking to enrich their experience.
