Honestly, this place is like a cathedral of beauty in nature. One's sensitivity as a human being becomes heightened just breathing in this rarified air.
"Is what I am seeing really true? Are these colors real?"
These questions are implied.
The fragility of the tiny desert flowers that only bloom after a rain, is like a benediction. The resilience and intrepid nature of juniper and pinyon and creosote that hang on through wind and drought and unrelenting fluctuations of extreme temperatures is awe inspiring. The hawks and jays, vultures and jackrabbits share an identity not unlike the amazing rock walls and vegetation. The have evolved in this country to be part of it. Wise and lean.
My commitment to work to mitigate the effects of climate change has become a ruling passion after this trip.
You don't have to be a genius or climate scientist to see what could happen here with no rain and more intense storms. It's true everywhere, but here it is screaming.