40 Years in the Desert

After baptism, Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights. During this time, Satan appeared to Jesus and tried to tempt him. Jesus refused each temptation and returned to Galilee.

Sunday our family returned to church and the story of Jesus' 40 days and nights in the Judean Desert featured prominently. I really liked how the priest connected the story with his homily and talked about traveling in the desert wilderness; though the desert has many treasures, the earth is stripped bare and only the hardiest of life can survive. Being out there is also a great way to pull away from the distractions of day-to-day life.

When you're in the desert wilderness, there is often no cellphone coverage, no cable TV, and no wi-fi. There is only you, the elements and the need to survive. Better find shade. Have your water. Bundle up at night. Check your boots in the morning for critters.

Spending time in the desert can be a great way to obtain clear your mind. Just thinking about being in the desert during church had me mentally tabulating all the ways I could simplify my life by just getting rid of stuff.

The clear thinking that comes with the desert also is a big reason for the Puget-2-Potomac. I'm going to be on the road for about 3 weeks with intermittent periods of civilization; staying in hotels and visiting with folks. In-between, I'll have plenty of time to consider my place in the cosmos. And that's pretty much the sub-context for the trip.