Defiance

We have just returned from a vacation in the desert west of here where spring bloomed radiantly. While we were gone, it snowed a foot here and then vanished without a trace. Missing that storm was a victory for us, I'd say!

I plan to write more about the trip and the beauty of spring in the desert. But, for now, let me share my prevailing thought from our journey. Defiance.

Early in the trip, a storm approached, roiling violently on the horizon.
In our campsite, I covered my bike saddle with the nearest plastic bag to avoid having a soggy saddle from rain. I noticed that the bag said "patient belongings" and perused it more closely. It was the bag that the hospital used to store my belongings during my neck fusion surgery exactly 4 months earlier. A computer generated sticker on the bag had my name, my surgeon's name, the surgery date, and many more details. I chuckled.

My husband pronounced the sight a sign of "DEFIANCE".
Defying the odds, the storm stayed at bay, illuminating the western cliffs with ghostly light.
I thought again about defying worrisome predictions after K and I completed a monstrous climb to a cliff's edge.
Behind us, the rock cliff towered thousands of feet above the desert floor. Sometimes life feels like a walk on a knife's edge but the joy outweighed the pain on this journey.