“My first few days in Moab’s red rock desert were like a blind date where everything went wrong,” writes Hilary Oliver. “For one, it was August. My metal aviator sunglasses got so hot in the sun that I couldn’t smile or they’d burn my cheeks.”

Four years later, Hilary and the desert got a second chance at their botched first encounter. Over the past ten years, they have developed a relationship with one another. Now, she has to learn how to share her place with all of the other people who have had their hearts stolen by the landscape of juniper trees and red and orange sandstone.

You can find more of Hilary’s writing at thegription.com

This episode reposted by permission from our friends at The Dirtbag Diaries. For more great episodes, visit them at dirtbagdiaries.com.