I grew up in the Arizona desert and never felt like I belonged there. Since I was 8 years old, I wanted to move far away…. I got lost around big cities in my 20s, traveled the world, and then finally planted roots on a tropical island where I (at least to this day) feel most alive. But I keep being drawn back to these barren, vast desert landscapes, despite spending my childhood dreaming of my escape. Maybe I needed to run away for a while, in order to return with a new set of eyes. 💛 Now visiting these places (especially the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa) as an adult, I feel so spiritually and creatively inspired, so in awe of nature’s beauty, and so at peace. I think if you spend time here — amongst the pastel colors, fiery sunsets, stripped down simplicity, harsh conditions, and echoes of ancient civilizations — it would be hard for you to not also experience something spiritual, whatever that means to you. It’s like a stimulus detox, allowing you to appreciat...