South Africa in pictures...

continued...

I am a Lion

I am a lion through and through.  Born under the King Lion sign, on the second day of August in 1974… I am a leo.  I am a lion.  And… I serve.  As the President of the North Tahoe Lions Club, I know what it means to serve.  To serve the communiy, the region, the state, the nation, the world.  I am a lion.  I serve mankind, humanity as a whole, and it is my mission to live up to the Lions Club toast…  Not above you, not below you… but with you.
It is with this in mind that I am reflecting upon my service in Africa.  Wishing I could do more,  but feeling fulfilled about that which I have done, I look back and see that progress was made, mankind has been served for a moment while I have been here, and a community has been reached, touched, and positively impacted by me, us, you, and the students of SNC.

Looking back, I can only move forward. But it is in my reflection that I can see how far we have come, and it is through service that I am most connected to all that is, will be and should be.  Service to humankind is what makes me more human, more connected to the Earth, more connected to the sky, the animals, nature, and the universe – which is what guides my spirit.

This journey of service… This donation of self to that which is in need, is me.  It is what connects me to everything, and it is through the service that I have been blessed.  It is through service that I understand - and now know - the true value of community.  We are together in everything, we are connected to everything, there is no longer a “me” it is now an “we.” 

This trip has helped me understand that there is more that needs to be done, but that which we do, is precious.  And service, has become my desire.  It is through service that we become blessed, that we are able to connect, that we are able to receive.  It is through giving that we receive most.  And it is in this way, this mindset, that I will move forward.  Forward knowing the true meaning of life… which is to believe in each other, believe in humanity, believe that we can achieve peace, and that we can change the collective consciousness, and move forward in service to each other.

And I intend to do this throughout the duration of my life.  I will serve.  I will make a difference. I will be the first in line to champion the change that must and can only occur when there is a need for a helping hand.  I will make an impact.  My footprint will be permanent.  I will make the difference.  I will help to change the collective. 
And this is what I have learned through my service in Africa.  And I will carry it with me throughout the duration of my days here on this planet, and I will move forward, never on, with one goal… To be the change that makes the difference. To be the helping hand… To make the impact, to reach the far corners of the Earth with this message,which is my only message to you, to us, to the world… I am not above you, I am not below you… I am with you.

Blessings,
J. Dean

www.jdean16.com

#SierraNevadaCollegeLakeTahoe  #SouthAfrica

Wildlife in South Africa

Wildlife in South Africa is both dangerous and fascinating.  

Nothing can compare to the feeling of riding out on a game drive and experiencing the nature of South Africa.  The closeness one feels to nature, the connectedness to the Earth, the feeling that we are all one coherent unified group of animals roaming the Earth floods you instantly.  Ocassionally, your driver and guide will stop the car on nightime game drives.  You look to the stars, hear the sounds of nature roaming the wild, and then, suddenly, without warning, a leopard will run right past you,and you think to yourself, "I'm in Africa..." 

And the world hits you like a ton of bricks, you realize how small you are, and how big you are... You realize that there is a collective consciousness.There Is a oneness to everything... You can clearly see that we are all part of a symbiotic ecosystem that spans across galaxies.  That there is no divide, there is no "me" only an us.  You look back to the stars, you take comfort in them, and you know, that there is no greater service to humankind than to protect that which we have, that it is limited, that our resources are precious, that you, me , us, we are together in this... And you know you must serve the planet well. You know your responsibility to the world  the universe and beyond, and that you are a small, but important part in maintaining the planet on which we live, and that you must be a great steward of what we have, so that we can maintain who we are, and strive to both preserve our natural world and that you must go above and beyond to initiate a change in the collective of the animal kingdom, which you are a part of... and that you are a part of a greater plan.  So you start to make the changes necessary in your life that will make a difference among men, nations, and people across the world. You begin to KNOW, not just realize, that you are the difference.  So you settle into your new role.  You begin  to see the that you are the game changer.  And this revelation comes bursting to the surface. 

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

SA day 3 cont'd B

At 3:00, I made my way back to the lodge where high tea was waiting for us as we prepared for our first evening game drive.  We mounted our vehicles, and soon we were out in the bush.  This is what I saw:

SA - Day 3

It was 5:30 am and I rushed to place by baggage into our transport vehicle. 5 of us packed into a midsize suv , and begain our six hour journey from Preoria to our final destination, Thorny Bush Game Reserve.  Within minutes we found ourselves driving out of the city and into the wild countryside of South Africa.

Stopping at a rest stop we found ourselves surrounded by a mixture of rural South Africans, urbanites, and foreign tourists.  I smoked a cigarette and watched a herd of water buffalo grazing not more than 500 feet away. We hopped back into our vehicle and moved faster down the road to our destination.

As we raced further into the countryside, flat land gave way to winding roads, hillsides, and eventually we screamed through mountainous lush greenery complete with epic waterfalls, dangerous cliffs, and we bounced through roads that had potholes the size of small craters.

Eventually, we made the left turn into Thorny Bush game reserve.  Within minutes we were surrounded by nature.  Here is what I saw:

SA - Day 3 cont'd

As we checked in and we're greeted by a wandering interested giraffe, we were welcomed by a staff that was definitely five star.  Warm lemon scented towels were handed to us, and we were ushered into the five star camp, given a quick tutorial about how the animals are free range and wandered through the camp, and we were definitely welcomed and observed by a group of curious monkeys.  Eventually we made our way to our rooms, and... this is what my room looked like: