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Catriona, thank you for your fascinating descriptions about your

thoughts and insights traveling between desert and temperate isle. You have a riveting writing style.

A few months ago, I did have the experience of camping in the Utah desert and then returning to my hot, humid home in Missouri, or Misery, as I sometimes refer to it. I’m not a native to these parts, but a northerner. I spend quite a bit of time in the west, so I’m very aware of the contrast between that arid environment and my humid, jungle like home. However, since I have been driving instead of flying these past years, I’ve been noticing just how gradual the change is from Midwest to western US states. In fact, I’ve been spending a lot of time camping in the national parks, and I have internalized a 3 dimensional topographical map of the western states. It’s a beautiful undulating landscape of changing hues and textures that I’ve been fortunate to create in my mind. I love to travel.

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Thank you so much for your kind comment Mary. That is interesting to read about your own journey and I am sure the gradual shift over land makes that change of places more progressive and soft and has a more soothing quality to it. I love that you have learned the topography of this journey and all the tones and textures - what a beautiful gift to carry with you. I think it is this sort of intimate knowledge of place that my highland ancestors would have had of the world around them and know is undervalued and in our modern world.

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I love the way you close... how important the often overlooked power of connection with nature, community and our inner self is. Beautiful essay, thank you!

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Thank you so much Scot for your kind words. And yes - I think that connection it is something we often overlook for other more overt forms of activism but in my experience - it can offer us so much personal power.

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“Convincing ourselves that the universe or God decides our lives allows further injustice and further suffering.” WOW, that line got me. The tucked away places are the ones that call me…even though I often don’t know how to get there. I will ponder your questions at the end. Thank you for the prompts.

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Yeah Holly, that's quite a line, an apt description of religion's indoctrinative persuit of war....

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Hey Holly - thank you so much for pointing out this line. I makes me think about again and I appreciate that moment of reflection. I hope you enjoy the prompts. And I agree -sometimes getting to those far away places is a challenge - there is a reason they are less explored. Especially when we need to be in other places for work or healthcare or rely on public transport etc. I am back in Dubai just now for many of those reasons. Good luck in your adventures!

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Hi Catriona, From two years in Arabian Desert warfare to five winter months camping, mostly alone as a shell fisherman on the tip of Skye, and another three months in the snow at Cape Wrath, to organising a Festival in Nederland.... I am of that ilk - "Wherever I hang my hat.... " I've usually had a base rather than a home as such, a place to recover, read, write, paint, store my stuff, and think about the next adventure.

In between I meet people of other perspectives, but always I am attracted to those who would Save The World. Do you know Suzanne Taylor ? - How I Saved the World... she inspired me to connect with folk such as yourself. you can find us at https://thiscreativeadventure.com Peace, Maurice

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Hi Maurice - thank you for stopping by and sharing your travels. What a varied and interesting journey! I don't know Suzanne - but I will check her out. I have my reservations about 'World Saving' - I have spent a lot of my time close to it and I do still hope for a more just global society but I also think it is a topic which needs unpacking and exploring in a nuanced way - which I hope to do here as part of what I write about.

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Hi Catriona, I promo’d Suzanne because her Essay concept chimed with my own thoughts on “Healing Our World”. The results were so good I figured I could probably promo a group of similar themed collaborative writings, hence the new stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com

Happy to have a further conversation with you via email biz3d.art@gmail.com

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Thanks Maurice. I prefer to keep the conversations on these threads linked to the specific topics and themes of the essay - so I would kindly request you don’t use it as a space to share your work. If you want to share links, contacts or request collabs - there are other ways you can reach out to me privately to discuss. Thanks again.

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OK Catriona, fair comment. In principle it was an offer to share Your Work via other channels. I look forward to reading your nuanced explorations. The topic certainly needs broader perspectives. Peace, Maurice

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Thanks Maurice. I appreciate that. Very happy to chat and explore further. Thanks again for stopping by.

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Thought provoking as always. And beautiful photographs too!

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Thank you Bonnie!

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And yes - was really enjoying taking photos back at home. So many great colours to capture.

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Ahhhh, this makes me crave for the times when I lived in Oban. Thank you for sharing 🩵

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