One of peace, quiet, and grounding
I want to share a deeply personal moment—one of peace, quiet, and grounding—experienced in the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world.
When I first moved to Namibia, it was the incredible wildlife and vibrant cultures that drew me in. But it wasn’t until later, when I journeyed south into the heart of the Namib Desert, that I truly felt the soul of this country. Standing there, surrounded by the largest dunes on Earth, towering up to 300 meters, I felt a sense of awe I hadn’t expected. The endless stretch of rich orange sand felt otherworldly, the dunes rising like waves of an ancient ocean. They seemed to call to me—to climb them, to lose myself in their vastness.
But the desert has its way of humbling you. The heat was intense, the sand too hot to touch, and I quickly realized this was a place of immense power. Yet, even in its harshness, the Namib had a beauty that was hard to describe—just sand, dunes, and the occasional lone tree, standing quietly against the backdrop of an infinite expanse. It was a landscape that made me feel both small and connected to something much bigger.
What surprised me most was not just the landscape, but the sky. As the sun set, and the day’s heat faded, the Namib Desert transformed. I lay in the warm sand, watching as the night took over, and soon, the stars began to appear—one by one, until the entire sky was a glittering canvas. I’ve never seen a sky so dark, nor stars so bright. It felt magical, like I had been transported to another world, far away from everything.
Sitting there, wrapped in the silence of the desert, I felt a deep calm wash over me. In that moment, the worries and noise of everyday life melted away. The vastness of the Namib reminded me of the simplicity and beauty of just being present. It grounded me in a way I hadn’t expected, giving me a sense of peace I didn’t even know I needed.
That night, under the stars, I found clarity. I found a stillness that recharged me, giving me the strength and perspective to return to the world and its challenges with a renewed sense of purpose. Sometimes, we need those quiet moments, away from the noise, to reconnect with ourselves—and for me, the Namib Desert gave me that gift.
It’s a place I’ll always carry with me. A place that helped me find peace, and a deeper connection to both the land and to myself.
From Sandra’s pen, Namibia
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