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In the desert with Martin Buber
This is 425 miles away from my house.
I figure with good traffic on I-5, and careful acceleration to 95 miles per hour to get past The Apricot Tree in Firebaugh as quickly as possible, I could be there in five and a half hours.
And then what?
The slow, slow osmosis of self-involvement into the desert sky. The sudden silence, wind and wingbeats of the pair of ravens at the far end of the canyon, the descending liquid trill of the wren.
And then what?
There are times in the desert when I fall away, when I forget momentarily to mediate the exchanges between my center and the rock. The scurry of the night lizard an inch from boot’s toe, and there is no Chris and no lizard but only “we.”
One of these days such a moment will end up being permanent. They will find me some weeks later, or months, or preferably not at all, a rictus on my skull where that last blissful smile melted into the gravel. With luck, that will happen while there is still a Mojave into which to diffuse. Two years from now? Thirty? Doesn’t matter.
Until then, the mediation always comes back. Intellect rears her ugly head and explains once again about the “I-Thou” thing, necessarily shattering it. And then the long drive back.
Posted by: Chris Clarke
Note: A database glitch in 2008 ate a bunch of archived comments. Don't be offended if yours isn't here, or confused if the conversation seems disjointed. Thanks!
Sounds like you already know how to retreat to the inner desert, the place where I and thou dichotomy no longer holds sway. On the other hand, maybe a few days in the real desert will restore you to yourself. It’s quiet on the road these days. Gas is expensive, kids are back in school. You could have the highways pretty much to yourself outside of the major metro areas. Last week we drove from Orange County to Monterey in 6 1/2 hours, and that included our blissful picnic lunch at Shell Beach photographing pelicans.
Do you have the time?
By: By Rexroths Daughter on 2005 10 05
October 20th.
By: By Chris Clarke on 2005 10 05
Two years from now? Thirty? Doesn’t matter.
I pick the latter.
By: By nina on 2005 10 05
don’t take martin to the desert. he’s a nice enough guy but he does natter on and on.
By: By dread pirate roberts on 2005 10 05
Oh, enjoy! It sounds like just the thing!
By: By Space Kitty on 2005 10 06
Get thee to Rainbow Basin, man, before it’s too late! (Oops, I forgot it already is — so what, go anyway.) And then, “No more talk of me and thee”. And, while you’re there, do the hike up Owl Creek canyon out of the upper campground area — it’s short. fascinating, and you won’t regret it. Have fun!
By: By Fred Levitan on 2005 10 06
