08/07/2026
When I can’t fall asleep at night, I imagine myself on a raft floating down the Colorado River.
Red canyon walls surrounding me. The gentle gurgle of the river. The smell of fall in the air and cottonwood leaves rustling in the breeze. Bighorn sheep tucked into the cliffs. A great blue heron flying overhead.
I stay there in my mind until eventually, softly, I drift into dreamland.
I know this piece isn’t a desertscape, but the river has always been one of my safe places. Chill rivers, that is. Big rapids are absolutely NOT. 😂
So this week, while I’m a little ball of exhaustion, while my little boys battle colds and sleep has come in 2–3 hour stretches, I keep returning there.
To the river.
To the canyon.
To the sand between my toes.
Sometimes we can’t physically escape to the places that restore us, so we visit them in our minds instead. 🌀
