Deserts and seemingly barren lands aren't meant to be appreciated at fast speeds, from great heights or with passing glances. These landscapes hold treasures that take more careful consideration, closer observation, and patience.
In a desert landscape I often feel huffy, impatient, and wonder where all the life went. I have to stop myself from giving in these knee-jerk, spoiled girl reactions that are a result of being confronted with something different. I have to put myself in my place, literally, and realize the beauty around me. It's similar to being in England and looking for a really good Mexican restaurant. You're not going to find one. Give it up. Go discover the exciting world of jacket potato accouterments instead. In a desert, sit and take in the new color scheme. Be awed imagining the whole flat expansive area as an inland sea. Admire the adaptive qualities of the native critters. Delight in little brightly colored flowers. Develop a new appreciation for water and the great distances and periods of time that creatures here must travel for water. Ponder the knowledge that one must possess to be able to survive in a landscape where there are only mirages. At the very least, respect this landscape's role as a part of the whole.
. . . And if you should find that when you leave you still prefer the lush and buzzing forest as a backdrop, then leave with a greater appreciation for it.
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