Born to Love

I set up the camera, readying myself for the morning. 

It was still dark.  I ran through my settings and decided they would do for low light.  Sunrise seemed awfully early today.  We threw our bags in the jeep and were off, cresting a small hill shortly before the sun came up.  Our guide told us we could get out of the jeep up here, a sort of unlikely predator zone.  We were in Africa on safari. 

I felt joyous to be walking on tierra firma on this little hilltop in southern Kenya.


A vast expanse stretched to the east, a land of trees, wildlife, and the first rays of dawn cresting the horizon.  A small group of zebras were making their way down the hill to the north.  And to the south, the magnificent Mt. Kilimanjaro rose majestically.  The magnificence was overwhelming!


Slowly, a big round ball of a sun began to rise.  The valley below us lit up, and so did the mountain!  The effect was staggering!  A filmy light filled the valley.  Hues of pink lit the sky around the sun and the mountain and draped the hillside in exquisite beauty.  The ball of the sun rose higher until it filled the land with light from one end to the other.  I loved it!  Our guide smiled a big Kenyan smile and said, “That’s a Kenyan sunrise!”

We ate breakfast.  The food was good, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the glorious, magical sunrise, this one that was opening my heart.  I had been in Africa for several days.  But this day was different.  There was something about being able to touch the earth here, to walk upon it, that brought it closer to my heart.  The overwhelming magnificence opened the door to my heart.  Between the light, the color, and the exquisite beauty, the world suddenly became my oyster, and I fell in love.  With the land, with the light, with Kenya!

 

I had always wanted to photograph the flamingos migrating.  So on this very special day, following the sunrise, we made our way to Lake Amboseli.  The birds were sunning themselves in the early morning light, but there were no flamingos to be found.  About an hour later word came  that a few flamingos were feeding at one end of the lake.  We made our way there as fast as we could and found a flock resting there.  We watched them awhile, grateful for this sighting.  And then, quite suddenly, the world of wings, beaks, and great honking calls broke open overhead.  For the next two hours we watched and photographed as tens of thousands of flamingos flew in and joined the others in the lake.  It was nothing short of spectacular!  A dream come true, a bucket list item fulfilled!  No photograph can do justice to what we experienced that day.  But my heart was joyous!  I was falling in love with flamingos.

Eventually, we left the lake and made our way out to the swamp.  I spied a big blue heron delicately stepping along through the swamp.  Something told me to stay close.  Following him with my camera, I was ready when he suddenly spread his magnificent wings and flew away.  The shots I got were spectacular, and my heart opened further.  I was falling in love with photographing the animals here.

And then the piece de resistance.  It was quite late in the day. 

The sun was setting in the west across the lake.  We rounded the bend, snapped a few shots, and made good speed up the road.  And then without warning a stately giraffe stepped out of the trees and low brush and walked across the road ahead of us.  The giraffe was lit by the setting sun.  She strode right beneath Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Our fingers worked magic with our cameras that evening, the kind of magic that happens when you’ve fallen in love, when your heart is wide open.  We are born to love, and when we love, the joy that we feel works wonders.

 

What opens your heart?  When did you last let it fully open?  

When did you last let yourself fall in love? 

What releases your joy?

 
 
Deanna Burks

Hello! I’m Deanna Burks. A Creative Director who loves spirited design. I work with you to tell your story and build your brand so you can attract the right clients and do the work you love. I’m a Squarespace and Squaremuse expert, HoneyBook Educator, and award-winning designer. I work with companies to help them build persuasive content framed within a beautifully designed website and other tools. My work goes beyond the beautiful and into the functional with results-driven strategies allowing you to build a sustainable business. Do the work you love, and secure your future.

https://deannaburks.com
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Ancient Sunshine

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Lessons From The Wild