(TOM) My buddy Steve & I joke about the little things being the ones that really aggravate. The last 24 hours has been full of so many little things that have had quite the opposite effect:- The Ant Lion. One of "The Little 5", it creates small cone shaped holes in soft soil, then waits at the bottom for ants to fall in and eats them. It is the largest spot in the photo of Pen's hand.
- Smiles. The wonderfully surprised smiles that break across the faces of the staff here when we greet them or say thank you in Zulu. Apparently few take the time to learn this difficult language. We certainly don't know much, but apparently, even just a little can mean a lot.
- Bush Babies. Tiny nocturnal tree-dwelling animals with huge eyes. We spotted one last night on our night drive.
- A baby giraffe. Born just yesterday, today we saw this already running baby, umbilical cord still hanging from it's belly, being protected and caresses by its mother.
- The tiny beads and threads. The local Zulu craftswomen and men create the most intricate and beautiful patterns out of the simplest little materials.
- A little Serval infant. Yesterday at the Cheetah Rehabilitation Center Miranda got to hold one. Both were exhilarated and terrified, and it showed in their eyes.
- The tiny thorns of the Buffalo Thorn tree. Pen showed us the tree this morning and told us how Zulus use that branch if the relative dies somewhere away, to fetch the spirits of their relatives and bring them home, where they belong.
- The unimaginable number of tiny stars visible in the night sky here. In their tiny reflections of light they silently scream a reminder of how tiny we all are in the time and space we take up. Maybe, if we live and love well while we are here, if we're lucky, when our time is done here someone will want to fetch our spirit and take it home with them.
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