This is a story about coexisting and building trust between species. It is also a story about a mango tree.
When people built a lodge around a large mango tree in Africa, they weren’t aware that for generations this mango tree was a source of food for the elephants in the region. They just built a lodge in a place they liked, as we humans do.
Unlike the humans the animals knew about the importance of the mango tree. They knew the path to the sweet fruit and could sense when they were ripe. Nothing could deter them from their annual feast. Not even humans.
Not that they wanted to. The annual procession of the elephants to the mango tree became a time of awe of these big animals following their own path regardless of the presence of people who thought they owned the land.
Gracefully, peacefully, with determination they always head straight forward to the object of their desire.
With ever increasing trust that humans will not hurt them, they even brought their youngster with them.
It is safe to coexist.
Besides trust they brought more precious gifts to us humans: awareness, awe, respect of nature.
‘We are here’, they seem to be saying, ‘like we always were. And the mango tree can feed everybody.’
Yes, there is enough for all.