Please Do More

Written in response to https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/author/sadje19/

I couldn’t explain to Giraffa why she was alone, or that a hunter took away her mother just because of the money he could get for her meat, pelts, bones. Even jewellery.

With mankind heavy on my shoulders, I stared into her eyes, almost asking for some forgiveness. Not that we deserved anything of the kind. It isn’t all of us, I wanted to say, just the innate few. She stared back at me, as prey would to a dangerous predator. I thought back to something I found out. They do that, so there are safety in numbers.

She stood, her beautiful neck arched to the sky, hoping for answers I couldn’t give. Her home, destroyed, where would she go. A safe haven, somewhere with other giraffes to learn from.

I wished I could do more, and maybe, one day, we will understand. Humans don’t have the right to change our planet. We need to work together, stop cutting down trees, let the rainforest grow, be consistently understanding. Too many species are extinct because we think ours is the only reason to live.

Leaning into her legs, I used my walkie talkie to find her a new home.