Throughout this time  I have enjoyed getting to know some of the locals and visiting the local sites. I have seen the sunrises and sunset on the desert, multi-colored beauty shading the desert and changing it from the starkness of miles and miles of nothingness, into a peaceful, beautiful landscape, a work of art on God's canvas. I have come to realize that beholding things through God's eyes, I see the beauty in his creation, in ways I cannot see through my eyes.

 Early on in my visits I began frequenting a local restaurant locally known as the Inn.  Officially the Twentynine Palms Inn.  This seemed to be the place that the locals congregated in the evening as the local watering hole. A quiet place that was friendly and relaxing, yet hosted local musicians every night. Different styles of music, blues to rock and country, in short just what I liked. Add a decent selection of wines and good food and it became my hangout when I was in the area.

On my second visit I was  greeted with a "welcome back".  Even the locals would engage you in conversation and eventually introductions were made, and even if your name wasn't remembered you were still recognized as a regular.  I never met anyone that was unfriendly or inhospitable towards me. It was as if each one was a personal representative of the local chamber of commerce, in fact one of them was the president of the board.

Successive visits only endeared them more. Who would have thought that I would have enjoyed it so much. It never occurred to me that some of those folks would have felt that way about me. It was with some sadness that this trip will most likely be the last trip to Twentynine Palms for me in this capacity. 

I took some time last night for one last visit to the Inn, I sat alone at the bar for a few minutes thinking of the interesting people I have met there. Marines, artists, writers, musicians, politicians, local legends, and especially the common folks that populate towns across this country. As I said my goodbyes to the bartender and  a few others, The guitar and fiddle player for the evening broke in to their rendition of Auld Lang Syne. A tear of sadness actually leaked from my eye. "Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?" No, not likely. A sincere gesture on their part that touched my very core.  Goodbye Twentynine Palms until we meet again.