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"/>Lessons Learned in the African Bush - Post #2 - Ann McMaster M.A., L.P.C.

LIFE AS IT IS

Lessons Learned in the African Bush – Post #2

Kruger Park, South Africa – 7500+ square miles, 4000+ predators (~1600 very healthy lions), 1000s of animals killed nightly.

Our night game drive began with Ferdy, Park Ranger for 35 years, making sure his gory stories of what happened to people who got out of the game-viewing/open-sided vehicle would convince us to stay IN the vehicle. Got it.

Close to the end of the game drive, at the turn around, Ferdy got his rifle, exited the cab, walked around the vehicle shining his spotlight, and then said, “If you want to come out here, walk around, come on.” Hmmmm. Remembering how much he stressed NOT getting out of the vehicle for ANY reason, I privately questioned his sanity. Of the 20, only about 8 of us were curious enough to exit the vehicle. Then all spotlights were turned off.

Just WOW. No moon. No stars. Far in the middle of raw life. Pitch black. I saw nothing. NO THING! Not ONE thing.

“SHHHH!” he says. Now, no sound. Then the faint whisper of a very slight breeze. Smells and spatial senses rocketed dramatically to the foreground. Then a leopard’s bark. Then NO-THING. I nudged closer to where I imagined Ferdy was.

We are here, in their habitat, totally blind, where 1000’s die each night, sometimes human beings. Fear or Acute Aliveness?

My learnings. Seeing NO-THING has choice. Be afraid of all those predators out there (bad things happening) … or … be free of my mind’s pretense that, just because I can SEE THINGS, doesn’t mean I can see what’s coming.

Things happen. All the time. Not a second’s notice. Like being sightless in the middle of predator territory. Scared by my imagination? Or curious about What IS. I choose. You choose. Every moment of every day.

 

5 Responses

  1. Kay

    Wow!
    Thank you Ann for this, today. Boom!

    ‘be free of my mind’s pretense that, just because I can SEE THINGS, doesn’t mean I can see what’s coming.’

  2. Susan Pastika

    Interesting analogy. In a sense, we are always “in the dark” about the future. Will I take my next breath? Will I wake up tomorrow? Will I be loved? Healthy? Safe? All things over which I have some influence, but not complete control. And yet, I open my eyes in the dark, looking for the light.