Dear Reader,

A friend recently confessed to me about his apocalyptic coping strategy: amidst the grim daily news and swirling catastrophes, he takes solace in knowing that someday our species will be extinct, and, regardless of what we do in the meantime, the universe will still be suffused with beauty. In the long run, he reminds himself, it will all be okay.

Out in the desert, this lesson surrounds you. Geological time presses itself onto all surfaces. If you think about it too much, you can start to feel like a fruitfly at the Parthenon—a flitting phenomenon, not much more than a flash of light. Blink and you might miss me.

This week’s Lightplay consists of a dozen photographs I took at Joshua Tree National Park. I hope you enjoy them—and thanks, as always, for reading.

– Jasper

I’m so glad to have you as a reader. If you’ve enjoyed this email, have you considered forwarding it to a friend?