I’ve always had a deep appreciation for quiet places, and a trail I found in Joshua Tree National Park turned out to be one of the quietest I’d ever walked. I heard absolutely nothing and it brought me to a level of pure joy.
I had purposely chosen a trail that would take me among the trees, as they had an enormous effect on my soul. You could call that an exaggeration, but for me, it's as accurate as any words I've ever conjured. These trees were alive with character — gesturing, dancing, laughing, and reaching toward the sky.
Then, I came upon a tree like no other.
This particular Joshua Tree was larger than most. Though many of its branches reached upward, some twisted and wandered in other directions. I stopped in my tracks and stood there, utterly bewildered, my mouth hanging open like a complete lunatic. The moment felt otherworldly — beyond reality — and I could only imagine this was the feeling the first settlers had when they stumbled upon these trees (it was the Mormon settlers who named them, inspired by the biblical story of Joshua reaching to the heavens).
Time seemed to stop in that moment. The wind ceased, and the silence grew even deeper. There was nothing left but me and that tree. It was a most divine pause.
Of course, I took a photo for reference, knowing I might want to incorporate that tree into something in the future. Well — the future has arrived, and below is the drawing that tree inspired.
The rest of that trip has a story too, and it will soon bring to light some of the other elements hidden in the drawing. It’s all part of a larger project I hope to release... someday. When? Only the powers that be know that one.
