The Maasai People

 

The Maasai tribe had such an impact on me, and honestly, I don’t even think it’s meant for me to fully explain. It’s just a gift I get to keep and feel on a personal level. Red, yellow, black, or white—He loves us all!

 

The Maasai welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. We couldn’t understand each other’s words (only two men spoke a little English), but we understood each other with smiles, nods, hugs, and handshakes. They invited me into their homes, their village, and even into their traditions. They pulled me into their ceremony dance—yes, the one with the jumping! I had no idea what I was doing, but something stirred so deeply in my heart that I couldn’t shake it. It was emotional in ways I didn’t expect.

 

Their children wanted to hold my hand, and I wanted to hold theirs. I got to sit with them, listen, learn, and just be there. I felt warmth, connection, and a clearer understanding of what matters. These people live in the wild with the wild—lions, elephants, and all the animals roam freely around them—and yet I felt no fear being there. I knew they would protect me if needed.

 

The Maasai are proud—proud of their land, their culture, their way of life. And they don’t want pity. They love the way they live, and after being there, I get it now.

 

I left their village with more than memories. I left with a shift in my spirit. I hope I laugh more, live louder, and surround myself with people who make me feel alive—and that I can make others feel alive too.

 

The Safari

 

And then there was the Serengeti safari. Listen, the chances of me outrunning a lion are zero to none, so I was more than happy to see all the animals from the safety of a jeep. And oh my goodness—show me ALL the animals! 😍

 

The safari drives were out of this world. Herds of elephants moving gracefully across the plains, lions lounging under the acacia trees, giraffes stretching for leaves, zebras everywhere. (Fun fact: their stripes are like fingerprints—no two are the same! 🦓 …though I’m pretty sure the emoji doesn’t keep that rule.)

 

The landscape itself was breathtaking—sunsets painting the sky, golden light across the tall grass, the silence and space of the Serengeti that makes you feel both tiny and infinite.

 

Time, Memories, & Gratitude

 

This trip reminded me about time—how quick it moves, how little of it is promised. We all say “we have time”… but do we? Time doesn’t stand still. It isn’t always generous. I’m learning to think of time less in years and more in moments. And this trip gave me so many moments worth carrying forever.

 

When I left Africa, I didn’t leave the memories or the feelings there—I packed them up and brought them home with me. The laughter, the lessons, the connections, the beauty—it all came back with me, tucked into my heart like souvenirs I’ll never lose.

 

Africa, thank you. You forever changed me. 🫶