Safari

At first the zebra seemed unreal—like a tongue-in-chic faux fur chair. Its stripes shouted: op art!

When another wandered up to join it I snapped a photo. The two heads seemed to merge into one, continuing the otherworldly feeling.

One of the creatures turned, and its ear suddenly looked like a horn—a zebra unicorn!

Riding in an antique jeep along a rutted road fed into the feeling that I was on safari.

As I looked out at a herd of antelope, I even saw isolated trees, tall dry grass and dusty patches of dirt reminiscent of the African veldt.

But the continuous biting wind and dream-like fog presenting itself in the dead of summer reminded me I was on the Mendocino coast at the B Bryan Preserve in Point Arena. And I wasn’t exactly on safari—I was merely viewing these hoofed African mammals, some of which are endangered, from a safe distance. The goal of the preserve is to breed, study and conserve these precious animals. Although I yearned to interact with them, it simply wasn’t prudent, nor allowed.

Until we reached a group of Rothschild’s giraffes and I was given a handful of sweet potato slices to feed them. As I put a slice in my mouth and was “kissed” by my first giraffe, I felt a spiritual connection. Imagination had merged with reality and the result was an ecstatic thrill. How can harnessing our imaginations enhance our spiritual lives?

All photos © Sondra Sula.