Greetings from Joshua Tree National Park

It didn’t take long into our relationship to realize nature would be our safe haven. Humans are programmed to make judgement calls every single day and sometimes those feelings save our lives and other times they really hurt. Think about a time when you had a terrible feeling in your gut and you had to make a judgement about your surroundings and decided it was time to leave. Or the time you felt someone walking to close and when you turned to look, felt terrified because of who it was, maybe a man in all black. That could have very well saved your life. What humans are not so good at is turning that judgement off for non threatening situations. Everyday we are judged for our clothes or our appearance but what I don’t want to be, is judged on WHO I AM. That is where I found my love for nature. I started taking Megan on hikes in the parks and knew it was something special. The weight off our shoulders to be free from the negativities of the world, even just for a few hours, was the difference in our lives. We could sit and watch the sunset and the only person judging was ourselves. It made me reflect on the fact that I can’t change the world, but I can change how it effects me. I will forever take time in my life to celebrate in the parks, be free in the parks, and find love in the parks!

Sincerely,
Alyssa

Joshua Tree National Park

This iconic park preserves portions of two spectacular desert ecosystems. The Colorado Desert in the eastern portion of the park features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo and cholla cactus. The higher, slightly cooler Mojave Desert offers dazzling vistas of Joshua trees and yucca. The vast park also contains spectacularly sculpted formations of a type of rock known as monzogranite and is a mecca for rock climbers around the world.

State(s): California

Established: 1994

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