Painting a snow desert in the skies

Upon flying into Houston, heading south from the Windy City, it occurs to me that I might have an idea as to what a desert of ice and snow may look like. The clouds in their vast population, stretching as far as the eye can see, peak and valley with highlights of an ice-blue in a fashion akin to all the depictions of the artic that I’ve seen in movies or documentaries.

The sun kisses the exposed elements and the sky enriches the deep valleys with the teal-blue mirroring of the sky’s clarity. It is a sight to behold and I am at a loss for the technology to capture this sight, ironically enough as I type this on my mac, but no matter the angle I turn my computer, ‘photo booth’ is incapable of capturing the plane of white clouds.It seems it might be easily drawn, at least for someone who is an artist, which even on a good day, I could not come close to having enough talent to do Nature justice and I doubt many, if any, could. Starting with a white canvas and covering it with an opal sheen, one might use their fingers or a narrow sponge brush to add highlights of ice-blue in bursts of smudges with some long and narrow, some short and bursting, and some deep with hints of a bluish-grey. In a few spots on opal plateaus with tinges of sherbet pink and yellow stippled specks, an artist might add a matte finish in small circles and corkscrews – all brushed with a light shimmering dust.

In its seeming infinity, it seems clear just how insignificant we are in comparison. To some, this concept might implant unhappiness, anxiety, or an existential dilemma; however, in this moment, in this place, I am filled with joy. If I am this insignificant, as I am often reminded, it seems much easier to do that which makes me feel joy and peace without the disillusion that I need to do something grand or even to do anything at all to reach fulfillment. Indeed, to live, to love, and to laugh is all that I need do to contribute to this cycle – and that is a very peaceful feeling.