Does the desert bleed and bloom at the same time?

  The word “capricious” is often found naturally paired up with the word “desert”. It took a few years of living in a desert country for me to really understand the spirit of this union. Mood swings could be a genetically inherited disease for desert-dwellers. And the desert seems very proud of its capriciousness, so it never misses a chance to wear it on its sleeves. We may observe the same among our friends and acquaintances. But none of them appear to be exhibitionistic about it, whereas the desert is. 

The desert changes its moods more often than its inhabitants. Just think of the wide range of colors, and the ever-shifting weather, which forces the desert-dwelling animals, birds, reptiles, and insects into their own survival modes like aestivation or hibernation. These animals know their habitat best and are highly adaptable. Hence they make their homes – their own microenvironments – in the oases, depressions, holes, and rocky inclines. Surprisingly, they are very choosy about their timing for foraging.

As we travel through the desert, we can literally see the abrupt changes in terrain. The type, size, color, sand, rock formations, and soil vary along with the topography. The weather, too, is no exception.  One kilometer can make a difference from shivering cold to perspiring humidity. In the single diurnal course of the sun, it can be all of the following, in quick succession: foggy, brightly sunny, stormy, rainy, breezy, windy, overcast, partly cloudy, clear, and sand stormy.

The image shared is a juxtaposition captured in the southernmost city of Saudi Arabia called Bisha. The bushy broad bed of yellow flowers is not being cultivated but grows entirely on its own. It serves up a sumptuous feast for camels’ taste buds and for the eyes of the beholder. Desert in full bloom. The desert version of full bloom that is far more alluring than its non-desert counterpart.

This shot is of a mountain stream instantly formed, born out of heavy rains in mountains beyond our ken. The gushing water makes its way down the valleys, devouring everything in its course. It doesn't move mountains, but it does wash cars, roads, trees, and bridges away, turning people on high alert with sporting spirit. Men at work and their livestock are often its easy prey. People in the desert usually revel in rain. They savor every drop of it dancing in the rain. I have seen people looking down upon me as I hold an umbrella to walk in the rain. However, flash floods are one of their worst nightmares. Their tribal defense systems like “kasaba” (a watchtower for early detection of an enemy approaching their territory) is of limited use in protecting them from flash floods.

As I reflect on the desert and its people, I am inclined to think that there is a desert in the mind of every desert-dwelling man and woman. Each is symbiotically related to the other. Like the desert, they too change their minds switching into extremes. Sometimes, so sweet and lovely, at other times burning with fury. This impulsive approach knows only one of the three degrees of adjectives: the superlative.