Day Ten: Joshua Tree and “Thou Mayest”
I had no expectations for Joshua Tree. We crossed into California from Arizona and entered the park from the southern entrance off I-10. At the visitor center, we learned that it would be another hour and forty-minute drive before we’d even see the iconic Joshua Trees. I was a little bummed, but at this point, what was another stretch of highway on this trip?
We turned back to East of Eden, picking up at one of my favorite parts—Adam, Lee, and Samuel’s conversation about Cain and Abel and the Hebrew phrase Timshel—“Thou mayest.” The idea that we each have the agency to choose our path, to shape our own lives, has always struck me deeply.
As we finally reached a vast expanse of rock formations and Joshua Trees, I stepped out of the car and realized there were tears in my eyes. The high desert stretched endlessly, my family beside me, the weight of our choices and the beauty of this world pressing in all at once. It was a rare moment of stillness and clarity.
The day didn’t end as planned—AC wasn’t feeling well, so we scrapped our campground stay for a hotel. Kelly and AC stayed inside while I slept in the camper. We made a simple dinner, settling in for the night.
It wasn’t the night we expected, but after a day like that, it didn’t need to be.
