¶ … Subtext I recently went on a trip to the Joshua Tree National Park. Even with the fact that a trip to a national park is not an earth-shattering or major event, it is still important nonetheless because of the raw beauty and splendor that is to be found from such parks. Even so, my trip to the Joshua Tree park was significant and life-changing on a number of levels. Indeed, the part itself is a metaphor if one looks at it the right way. Whether it be culture, the confluence of nature's forces or other things like that, taking things in at too small a perspective and/or without metaphorical comparisons in mind is less than wise. I will explain what I mean by that and that explanation will have two main facets.

First, it should be noted that when I went on the trip, I was not alone. I was with my friends Hiro and Albert. Both of them are of different cultures than I am given that Hiro is Japanese and Albert is Spanish. It is perhaps a bit odd that a group like us would come together but it happened with us and it has worked well. The comparison between us and the park we were visiting was initially lost on me but I came to a realization as I was in the area. Indeed, one of the common themes and lessons about Joshua Tree is that it is a collision of two major parts of nature in the United States. The park, of course, is in Southern California and it is the point in which there is a merging of the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. The namesake of the area is the Joshua Trees that that litter the terrain. The area is also full of a lot of people that climb and hike the trails and there is also the Coachella Valley that is nearby. Even though the Mojave and Colorado areas in question are both deserts, they are both very different in size, scope, terrain and so on. Even with the fact that water being scarce is a commonality with so many different types of desert, the areas are still quite different. They merge together rather seamlessly in some regards but there are clear differences in other regards.

This is where the first metaphor happens to come in. Despite the fact that myself, Hiro and Albert come from entirely different backgrounds, we also found a way to come together in a way that fits and melds us. Rather than clashing and finding an issue with our differences, we are instead quite cohesive despite the different upbringings, cultures and patterns of our life. There are many instances where this sort of interaction happens and the overall outcome is less than positive. However, we never really paid any mind to all of that and we just gelled well together because we have common interests, aspirations and goals. There are entirely too many people out there that get unnecessarily nervous and uptight about what makes us different. My two friends and I know we are different but we don't let that get in the way of...

It would seem that some people are hung up on that sort of thing and that is truly unfortunate. Indeed, there is a difference between knowing that each of us are different yet finding common ground anyway and us seeing the differences and finding a way to let that get in the way of what could be a great friendship.
This is something that could easily be compared to the merging of the deserts themselves. Even with the fact that they are very different, the two desert patches that merge at Joshua Tree do not harm or work against each other. Instead, there is a harmony that is quiet yet visually striking when comparing the two visions and views. Just as with my group of friends, it would probably be easy to track the people who just look at the two deserts merging and focus on the dichotomy and differences. It would also be easy to see people that marvel how well all of it fits together despite the disparate nature of the interaction. For sure, there are people that focus on what makes the two areas different and there are others that focus on what brings them together and unties them.

Both of the above lines of thought could easily be compared to society at large in the United States, or even the world. SO much of the literature and scholarly discourse out there, not to mention the societal chatter that happens, is focused on the dichotomies and differences that exist out there. Whether it be East vs. West, the North vs. the South, Liberal vs. Conservative, Republican vs. Democrat or anything else that is commonly bandied about and talked to death in the modern lexicon, there are also a lot of things that bring us together, that we have in common and that give us a bond. That latter part is seemingly missing in a lot of what happens in today's society and perhaps people should just slow down and think about how our disparate ideas and ideologies can absolutely be forged together in a way that works rather than being the genesis of some continued fray that just never ends.

Even with all of the high rhetoric and banter I have just laid forth, it is sometimes easier said than done to achieve the peace and tranquility that is desired by many. For sure, there are clear differences between my two friends and I when it comes to certain things. We do have different worldviews, we do have different walks of life in some main respects and we do have a different way of looking at things, depending on the issue. However, while we sometimes butt heads here and there, we are able to move past that and realize and respect that not everyone sees things our way, and that would include the three of us when comparing each other. This is not to say that we just learned how to do that straight off the top and that we've never had problems with adjusting and learning from each other. At the same time, none of us have any preference or demand of struggle or dissention. There are times and places to stand firm and not just try to be nice. However, most situations could and should call for a calm approach that is based on trying to understand how we can mesh and fuse together idea-wise much like the Joshua Tree park does much the same thing when it comes to the two deserts and there intersection.

The big issue that seems to be lost on many…