God lives in Africa. And that is where I finally met Him. No, I did not have a mirage after being stranded in a scorching hot African desert. I was not delirious in bed with a fever caused by malaria. Nor did I have a near death experience and travel down a luminous white tunnel after being bit by a Black Mamba snake. I did not have a vision. I did not have a dream. I did not. I was there. I was as there as there can be. And so was God.
My heart seemed to have relocated to my ears for my heartbeat was all I could hear. I was just told that what was about to advance was one of a kind. The leader. The eldest. The most respected for miles around. I was advised to stay still. And so I did. Some leaves rustled. A small flock of birds called out to each other and quickly took flight. In the distance, a solitary Kudu stopped, cautiously listened and leapt further into the bush. I knew what was about to happen to me would be incomparable to anything I had experienced before in my life. And in fact, there, emerging slowly from the tall adorned branches, presenting itself in its full majestic glory was the all mighty, the all powerful, the one and only: The Elephant.
He advanced straight towards us. And with every otherworldly massive step the Elephant took, I knew all of planet earth in that precise moment was shaking and vibrating with his love. With every flap of his glorious ears, he was creating a sonar wave which was than transformed into a shield of protection that expanded and covered all of us. Every city in the world. Every race. Every valley. Every mountain. Every seed. Every tide. Every living organism was experiencing The Elephant’s unconditional reassurance.
The butterfly effect of his supersonic energy and governing movements have been witnessed by all of us daily, for centuries, and now, I had finally found where and who it all started from!
Our eyes met. Or, precisely, my eyes met his one unforgettable eye as he moved gently past me, slightly shifting his eyeball so he could position his stare right into my eye. Our eyes now were perfectly parallel to each other. He hypnotically stared right into my soul. I knew he couldn’t stop and needed to move forth. I knew I only had a second to absorb all that this heavenly creature was offering me in that decisive moment. Right then and there, I wanted to stop and never let time in.
As I closely examined the Elephant’s beautifully timeworn skin, this emporium of relics, I could read all of our Universe’s history. All our genealogy was recorded in every deep wrinkle of The Elephant’s sublime form. I saw all of us there, together and united as one. All that we have that is pure, innocent, positive dwells in this creature.
And then, just when I thought God could not give me more… along the curvature of his divine and holy tusks… I witness the curvature of the earth. And in that precise moment life made sense. I made sense. In that precise moment I knew I would never be the same. In that precise moment I knew God exists.
I’m getting frustrated in this moment! I feel I cannot really do this properly. What I am writing does not come close to how I felt that day! But I cannot allow my need to express myself perfectly stop me. Because what I saw needs a voice. What I saw needs your voice. What I saw needs our help. God needs our help.
Africa is the place where God closes his infinite eyes and prays for all of us. I believe it is times we answer His prayer.
Elephants are God's heartbeat. Take their breath away and you have killed God. And this, my wonder seekers, is anything but a miracle.
Actress Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni marching during the International March for Elephants Oct. 4. 2103. Photo by Mariano Baino
1 elephant is killed every 15 minutes. At this rate, ZERO will roam the earth by 2025! Imagine our future children never being offered the possibility of witnessing the miracle that is The Elephant. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and their campaign is one of the many bighearted organizations out there working tirelessly to make this tragedy not happen. So, please, allow yourself a moment to learn about ways you can help.
Coralina is on Facebook and at www.Coralina.net.
