The desert has a unique beauty of its own to offer. Sand dunes are a different work of art over each hill and change within themselves moment to moment. A sunset displays every
shade of orange known to man as well as a few new to us. The camels' slow pace reminds us of how life ought to be enjoyed leisurely. The silence of the sand draws you in.
However, I don't live there. It's true I live on the edge of it, and within a 30 minute drive I am there. On this edge, I feel the effects of the desert (the heat, the sand, the constant bright
sunshine) without often experiencing that beauty that makes the desert so spectacular. This concrete jungle built on sand has been a source of frustration for me for the last six months.
Then, yesterday, I stumbled on my own personal oasis.
Not a small lake surrounded by palm trees in the middle of the desert. But a cafe called 'Shakespeare and Company' in the middle of town.
Someone else must have longed for the same kind of beauty that draws me in. Decorated to look like Victorian England: high backed cushy chairs, chaise lounges, even the ceilings were gorgeous! There was a patissere (the most wonderful breads cooked right there, and served with cute little jars of jam), and they make their own European chocolate right there in the store, which they let me sample for free!
My friend and I sat and drank 'high tea' and played backgammon. Pure delight. My own personal oasis in my own personal desert.
