South Africa Reflections 3

Leaving the world behind you… that’s sort of how it feels to be in the bush in Africa… you drive into the unknown.  Your guide and driver stops for a moment.  You wonder why.  Then he spins around, your ranger says, “Look, there’s a giraffe.  No, there’s a herd of them.” And you look, you see, you take a picture, and you marvel at their awesomeness.  You think fora moment, “Is that real?” But you’re there, you see it with your own eyes.  And for a moment it’s just like being in California, but you’re not… You’re in Africa…

And right there, right then, you know you’re onto something special.  You think, “How the hell did I get here?”  Then you remember.  An ex-girlfriend challenged you to do it.  An old friend lives here, you met Desmond Tutu, your friend in  college from 20 years ago, South African Mike, Mary’s challenges for the last three years, your grandfather died, you went on a trip, you found yourself needing the credits, and it all adds up.  There’s something special here, something amazing.  And you know, you were meant to be here, something is about to happen.  Then POW! An elephant bursts through a bush. 

You snap out of the reflection and realize… “Shit, I was born for this.  I am an African.  I am a man of the land.  The Earth, the people, the animals, nature.”  And you are free.  You are alive.  You can breathe.  You can rest.  You are you as you were when you were a child.  And you are born again.  You are US, we, them… you are in the moment.  And you ride on, moving forward… And you never look back again.