Spirit of the Desert

To bloom in the desert is perhaps the most noble and defiant artistic expression. To take a foothold and survive in such a harsh and desolate landscape is courage enough in my estimation - but to be so bold as to bloom and dance and smile with such color in a land so barren! That’s the audacity of a firework in the midnight sky. 

That is the spirit of this desert plant and that is the spirit of the Mongolian people. Pinned between two resource rich superpowers, from a seemingly hopeless foothold, the Mongolian people managed to sing and ride and laugh and fight their way into historical legend as a proud and dominating people. There is much to learn from these people and this plant who embody a powerful celebration of life, no matter the adversity.

I took this picture in the Gobi desert while touring with my mother and her friend. I was wrapping up a year of teaching English during a gap year after college. Throughout that year I rode camels, drank fermented mare’s milk and goat blood, sang at a wedding in front of 200 people, watched wild Takhi horses taking their sunrise drink from a mountain spring, and traversed beautiful terrains on camelback and horseback. At every turn I was met with overwhelming joy, curiosity and generosity, and was made to feel like a dear family member reuniting after a long cold winter. This incredible hospitality, ferocious fighting spirit, and zest for joy and expression through story song and instrument allows the Mongolian people to not only survive, but to truly shine in one of the most seemingly inhospitable environments Earth has to offer. They mirror the alchemy of a desert bloom.