Having spent nearly 3 years of my life in the Africa, encounters with leopards have been few and far between. Fleeting moments of a tail dissolving into the thicket, or those iconic rose petal markets melting into the savannah. The ghost only ever appearing briefly, before retreating back into their wild realm. //
On this particular assignment, just a couple months ago in June 2022, I was struggling. Troubles from home were seeping into my work, with my last remaining grandparent terminally ill. With past issues and traumas, my work was my saviour, allowing me to compartmentalise my life between ‘personal’ and ‘productive’. Not this time. My creativity was hit hard, with my mind firmly fixed in a continent far away. //
The weather that week was relentless, with storms pummelling the savannah for hours, for 9 days straight. On the penultimate night, the wind and rain lashed the tent relentlessly and suddenly, like a fever, broke. In sync with the environment, my mind seemed to suddenly recalibrate, transported back to my present. I’m here, I have my health, I have my happiness. What more could I ask for? //
That final morning we journeyed into the bush, with no expectations other than enjoying Mother Nature. Then, she appeared. Two ears and a tail grazing the tips of the long grasses like a periscope. The Ghost of the Savannah. //
We followed her as she floated through the bush, catching brief glances of her other-worldly form. I decided to roll the dice and, predicting her path, went hundreds of meters ahead of her to grab the ‘front-on’ shot. The chances were slim but worth it. To my delight, it happened. She glided toward me, eyes fixed. //
Spirits show themselves when we most need them. They can go undetected and at other times, make their presence known. They come as our faith, our family, our friends, and as other beings on this great planet. It’s our responsibility to harness their energy and bring light to darkness that we, or others, encounter. //
… but was she really there? Or was it just another leopard mirage?
