Masai Lion
Masai Mara Reserve, Kenya
One of my favorite series of books is the “Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis. Central to the story is Aslan – a great lion, a source of wisdom, power, and authority to the creatures of Narnia. At one point, one of the characters, fearful of the lion, asks, “Is he – quite safe?” “Safe?” came the response, “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
This photograph was captured in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. In the late afternoon, our driver heard over the radio that a male lion had been spotted. Off we jetted across the savanna grasslands to where a cluster of safari vehicles sat jostling and angling for a view. Our driver was the best. He plunked us right into the middle of the scrum, and suddenly we had a spectacular view of this lion.
It was watching the birds! You would think that such a majestic creature would have more majestic things to do, especially with an audience at its side. But no, the most important thing on this lion’s agenda was lying in the grass and looking at the birds in the sky.
When I loaded this image into the computer, there he was: Aslan. Not safe at all. But peaceful. Playful. Good. Sometimes a photograph holds a special place in your heart. As a fan of Narnia, this photograph holds a special place in mine.