My inclination this year was to resist the straight and narrow. Roads are fastest, but destinations lie. A short walk off the road, thought it be in trackless desert, offers possibilities unique to you. Pause the drumbeat of efficiency. Let the wind and sand shift new patterns into your mind.

A well-worn road runs straight through a desert valley, until it climbs out the mountains on the far side. To the side, dark desert plants. In the distance on the valley floor, beige sand kicks up in the wind. Partially cloudy skies above.