It’s no small feat to make it out to West Texas for me these days. West Texas is where I thought at one point my soul was fed, though as more time passes between my visits, I wonder if instead I have learned to recharge just as well closer to home. Marathon was a godsend when I needed to reorder my life. Big Bend’s open skies enraptured me. Marfa’s lights fascinate me. Fort Davis’s mountains fill me with wonder and proximity to the earth.

The journey to reclaim myself has been a continuous one; still in process and one that doesn’t possess clearcut starting and stopping points.

Part of what I love about West Texas is the pace that I can walk to. I am not caught up in the hustle of my regular routine. Being able to slow down with a fresh cup of coffee in the morning is a luxury that I haven’t awarded myself regularly. So, West Texas feels like a vacation where I actually see what is around me.

Muralist John Cerney’s work is part of what sticks with me about West Texas. On Highway 90, about 5 miles west of Marfa is Cerney’s tribute to the Hollywood Classic film “Giant”. The 1950