Finding Water in the Desert
A Commencement Speech to today’s graduates
Photo courtesy of Jesse.
A friend and I went for a hike in the desert a couple of weeks ago. We loaded up our backpacks with all the items we would need to spend a few days and nights in the arid landscape…a sleeping bag & pad, stove, small pot, head lamp, extra warm clothes, food, etc. Of course, it wasn’t lost on us, that despite all the fancy gear on our backs, what we were going to truly need to survive and complete our hike was to be able to find water. The human body is extremely resilient to most things. We can go without food for weeks and in an environment where the temperatures this time of year are mild, we can be quite comfortable without a sleeping bag or those extra layers. A body void of water is another story. Our survival rate is a matter of days.
As Jesse and I left the truck and its full water jug, my mind immediately began thinking about our next possibility to quench our thirst—would we find it; where should we look; if found, will there be enough? With each footstep along the dry, sandy track through the parched sage, desert grasses, and juniper trees, I felt the dehydration process begin within my cells. The questions loomed…
These questions of uncertainty, though different, are of the same nature as recent graduates are asking themselves now—what’s next; what do I want to do; can I do it; how will I make it in the world? The world seems like a very harsh place. Humanity is emerging from a global pandemic which has left no one unaffected emotionally or physically. Inflation is a runaway freight train accelerating the cost of housing, goods and services to unheard of levels. Climate change is wreaking havoc on the planet and all its inhabitants both big and small. War is raging and creating needless destruction to those who are innocent. The deep-rooted flaws of humanness are emerging through senseless acts of violence, classism, and unwarranted persecution. When taken all together, the landscape ahead may seem overwhelmingly bleak. One may even call it a desert. A place seemingly void of opportunity, sustenance, inspiration, empathy, compassion, and abundance.
Jesse and I climbed to the top of the ridge and took in an expansive view. The million shades of yellow, red, orange, and brown all tinted with the green of life undulated across the terrain merging into the bluest of blue horizons. It was breathtaking. After several minutes lost in the awe of Mother Nature’s beauty, we turned south and began walking the sandstone ridge. An airy precipice lay to our right with an endless quarry of rock domes and canyons sloping gently to our left. We had come here to seek out the hidden wonders of this place. An environment that has been home to many for centuries. An environment that has provided those before us the ability to flourish and prosper.
It wasn’t long before we discovered a sign of the past. As I went to take a step onto a slanting rock shelf, my eyes honed into something that was unusual. Different than the rocks and boulders that we had been stepping on, over and around. Laying in the reddish dirt was a large pottery sherd. Not a foot beyond it lay a piece of a large pot lip. Yet another curved fragment rested nearby. Stooping to pick up a sherd, the questions began to emerge…who made this pot; how did they live; what were they doing on this spot; what was their day to day lives like; what was the pot carrying? Perhaps, water. With this potential answer my thirst from a day of continual movement under an unrelenting sun became discernible and acute. It was time to find a camp for the evening that had water nearby.
Finding water in the desert is not much unlike finding meaning and ways to flourish in a world that at times, can seem desolate, discouraging, and full of despair. First, one must have hope. One must believe that there is water out there to be found—that one’s future will be better than the present. Shane Lopez, the author of Making Hope Happen, states that a belief in a better future is not enough to realize it. One must also believe that they have power to make what they want to happen, happen. They must have a sense of agency. Additionally, one must be able to envision multiple pathways to that future. Setbacks and dead ends will be encountered, but that’s okay, as with having true hope, one understands that there is always another path to be found to achieve the desired outcome.
Hopeful about our prospects for finding water, Jesse and I began the next step in the process…we began to search—to take action in creating our desired outcome. Throughout our lives, we have all encountered people who express grand goals and dreams, but as time goes by, they never seem to achieve or realize their heart’s desires. There is no doubt that circumstance can play a role and derail movement towards achievement. Often, however, goals are unrealized, because of a failure to act. To find one’s water, one must “do,” not merely dream or wish. Effort must be put forth. And depending upon the aspiration, years and decades of toil may be required.
Dropping our packs at the head of two canyons, Jesse struck off down one and I down the other. I descended the slickrock seeking clues that would indicate that our prize was close by. Being curious and having an awareness for one’s surroundings are key components in a search. This requires that we are present. That we engage. That we live in the moment. Our current world is one of continual distraction—created to capture our attention for the benefit of others, not necessarily our own. To find and stay on one’s path, solitude and reflection must become influencers rather than paid pawns of corporate marketing.
The walls of the canyon closed in casting my surroundings in shadow. A horizon line lay before me. Is this our home for the night? Will a pool be found over the line? I approached the lip of the drop with anticipation. My dry taste buds awakened to the possibility of finding sweet, moist relief.
My view brought only disappointment. The pool five feet below me was bone dry. It’s life-producing treasure long carried away by the breezy spring winds. Setbacks, false starts, failures, and unfortunate things happen. At the first sign of adversity, most will wilt and succumb to circumstance. The easiness of accepting the current fate will be chosen. It is far more difficult in the face of hardship to have the resolve, focus and work ethic to continue forth. Few make this choice. Again, distraction for the easy will erode both determination and thus, possibility.
There must be water here. Wait a second…what is that in the sand…footprints. I scrambled down the drop to examine the lines in the sand. The tiny hoofprints of multiple deer were discernible. They were moving up and down this canyon. Why? Did they know a secret?
With renewed vigor, I continued on, rounding a corner to find a tunnel of vegetation that was vibrant with growth. Signs of life were emerging from every nook and crevice. Grasses, blooming cacti, wildflowers, and juniper trees grew out of the most improbable of fissures and on stony shelves. A desert lizard easily scampered across a rock face. A proud raven perched on a nearby branch watched me with curiosity. My view of the canyon was shifting.
Much of our life will be determined by the lens with which we view the world. Full of possibility versus constraints. Positive and hopeful versus pessimistic and critical. Having a growth mindset versus one that is fixed. Feeling one has control to create one’s destiny versus it predetermined by circumstance. That one can make a difference despite how daunting the task at hand may be.
With my senses heightened, I slowed to soak in my surroundings. There off to my left was a faint path through the underbrush. Bending to avoid being poked in the eye from the unruly sticker bushes, I labored my way along the path. Ahhh…I have found the secret. Emerging from the thicket with clothing and skin both snagged, yet intact, I stood to my full height. Before me was an oasis of wonder. A wide, deep pool of clear water lay below a rock shelf. Setback in an alcove were the remnants of walls built by the past. Healthy ferns grew out of the rock encompassing the pool. Standing gnarled and weathered from centuries of growth was one of the largest juniper trees that I had ever seen. This place was special.
A feeling of gratitude washed over me. Peering at the smooth surface of the pool, I saw a man with deep lines etched across his forehead and faint creases bordering eyes that had seen much but were eager to see more. The man had a greying stubble further portraying his experience and years on this earth. Looking closely, I saw perceptible scars from a life lived on his own terms versus that of society’s. As I smiled with satisfaction, the man smiled back. Reflected in the water was my journey. One I started so long ago with enthusiasm, inquisitiveness, patience, and intention. One that has had its trials and tribulations along with incredible learnings and amazing experiences with inspiring people. One for which I am forever grateful.
It was time to find Jesse and share my find with him. It shouldn’t be hoarded and kept to myself. This find makes a difference to my friend and all the creatures of the land. Likewise, the resource should not be squandered selfishly or used wastefully without purpose. We are all here for a finite amount of time and must remember that there will be others beyond us who must find their own water to flourish.
