Travels

I’d like to share a picture of an animal I never imagined I’d get to photograph. An African lion. It was a sunrise game drive, surprisingly cold, with rain drizzling sporadically. I was huddled deep into my sweatshirt while young Hailey sat blissfully comfortable in her short-sleeved shirt. I guess Arizonans and Canadians have a different idea of what cold means.

We’d seen the lioness just as the clouds were breaking up and the sun began to skip across the grass. I was content, watching the skies brighten and listening to unfamiliar birds singing a wake-up call. We came around a slight curve in the road, and he was reclining there, eyes closed against the morning brightness and blissfully unconcerned with our presence. As we rolled to a stop and pulled into the grass, his brother leaped from his resting spot, not four feet away from me. It was startling, to say the least. He moved away a bit and settled down where I couldn’t really see him, but it didn’t matter because the big boy in front of us continued to enjoy his morning rest.

Honestly, I don’t think I have adequate words for this one. I had hoped to see a lion, but I underestimated the impact it would have on me. Maybe someday I’ll find the right words. Maybe I’ll just have to let this photo speak for itself