Kindness comes in many forms: a smile from a stranger, a heartfelt compliment or an unexpected subscription to High Desert Journal.
I was perplexed when I first saw the journal as I couldn’t figure out how it made its way to my mailbox. I thought, who would have sent this? It wasn’t until a day later — after I had picked up and put down the journal several times, reading short poems by talents like Robert Michael Pyle and admiring the subtle and captivating paintings by Melissa Bangs — when my husband returned from his business trip and revealed who was responsible for the gift and the reasoning behind it.
My husband’s dear friend, Fred, who has been a subscriber to High Desert Journal for some time, thought I too would love a subscription and he was right. Of course I was surprised at the gesture, but not surprised that Fred would do such a thing. When I first met Fred, I knew immediately that he was a good person. I could see that he was quiet and gentle, and now I know he is generous.
I sent Fred a thank you and his response to my email only confirmed that he and I are kindreds. Like me, he understands the magical effect nature’s power can have on the human spirit. And he appreciates creatives who are able to capture this magic and transform their interpretation into words, photography and other art forms. He mentioned something about a transcendence that he experiences when he reads or views art like that presented in High Desert Journal.
Whether I am reading about Ursula K. Le Guin’s experience of driving by the butte, or I am walking barefoot in the grass or breathing in the crisp evening air as I contemplate twinkling stars, I experience this transcendence Fred speaks of.
With High Desert Journal close by, I have something I can return to each time I feel the need to venture inward and upward. So I thank you, Fred, for introducing me to Anna Roberts’ “Without a Grave,” Loren Irving’s Finding Fremont in Oregon, the poetry of Jane Carpenter, What a Blossom Knows and the photography of Jeremy Lurgio, “Water Pipes.” Their good work makes me happy.
by Amber Galusha
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