“The water in your body is just visiting. It was a thunderstorm a week ago. It will be the ocean soon enough. Most of your cells come and go like morning dew. We are more weather pattern than stone monument. Sunlight on mist. Summer lightning. Your choices outweigh your substance.” – Jarod K Anderson

I went out for dinner in Johannesburg with alumna ranger Robyn Morrison, who had come across this quote and shared it with me. We were both struck by its profoundness and how we each felt it resonated with us and our time at Londolozi. So, I’m going to do my best to convey how this quote resonated with us.

The western most crossing point, Taylors Crossing

In summary, we concluded that this evocative quote speaks to the transient nature of life, the flow of energy, and the impermanence of everything around us. When we apply it to the wild, untamed beauty of Londolozi – the message takes on an even deeper meaning, revealing the profound interconnectedness of all life, and how we, too, are part of a greater, ever-shifting cycle of existence.

The Cycle of Water: From Thunderstorm to Ocean

In its many forms, water is one of nature’s most profound metaphors for change. The quote begins by pointing out the transient nature of the water in our own bodies. This water, it suggests, was once part of a thunderstorm, and it will eventually return to the ocean. Similarly, the water that sustains the wildlife, landscapes, plant life, and ecosystems around us originated as a thunderstorm – which fills up streams, wallows, and waterholes and transforms the dry grasslands into lush green landscapes. This water constantly nourishes the life that exists here through water’s cyclical journey through the earth – constantly moving, always shifting from one form to another.

At Londolozi, water comes as the gentle rainstorm that nourishes the grasses and trees, as the river that winds its way through the land, and as the mist that rises in the early mornings, enveloping the landscape in mystery. Just like the rainwater that fills the earth only to evaporate back into the atmosphere, everything in Londolozi exists in a constant state of flux. The trees and grasslands may seem permanent, but they, too, depend on the seasonal rainfall, and their existence is fleeting in the greater scheme of time.

The Nhlanguleni Female lies on a granite boulder in the Sand River as a thunderstorm rolls in.

Morning Dew and the Fleeting Nature of Life

The reference to the brief presence of morning dew reminds us of the impermanence of all things – this is something that we are constantly reminded of while spending time out on a drive. In the early mornings at Londolozi, the cool mist settles over the land, and droplets of dew cling to the blades of grass, shimmering in the first light of day. These droplets are fleeting, vanishing within moments as the sun rises and the warmth of the day begins to unfold.

This evokes a sense of awe, not just at the natural beauty of the moment, but also at the realization that all things, from the smallest drop of water to the tallest tree, are temporary. We, like the dew, may shine brightly for a brief moment, but our time on this earth is as transient as a summer’s morning. The cycle of life and death at Londolozi is an ever-present reminder of this. Predators and prey, the seasons and the rhythms of the land – all are part of an intricate web of transient life forms that come and go like the mist. As we enter now into our summer season with the birth of many new young such as impala lambs, wildebeest calves, and lush grasses and plant life we recognize how a few weeks back the land had hardened in the face of the depths of our dry season – change is imminent.

Londolozi as a Living, Breathing Entity

Londolozi is not just a place on the map or a destination, it is a living, breathing entity. The wilderness here is in constant motion, from the subtle shifts of the ecosystem to the dramatic changes in the weather patterns. A thunderstorm might arrive unexpectedly, as though nature itself is unleashing its energy across the land, bringing with it the promise of life-giving rain. The rains transform the landscape, turning the dry and dusty soil into a lush, green paradise teeming with life. Yet, even this cycle of renewal is temporary. The grass will dry, the river will dwindle, and the creatures who thrive here will change with the seasons. We are experiencing this now, as the first rains bring new life across the reserve.

In this sense, Londolozi mirrors the sentiment in the quote: “We are more weather pattern than stone monument.” The wilderness of Londolozi is not static. It is dynamic and ever-changing, much like the weather that shapes it and governs the land. The lion prides, the herds of elephants, the leopards – they are all part of the greater cycle, shifting in response to the land, the seasons, and the forces of nature. They are not monuments, fixed in time; rather, they are part of an ongoing narrative that is forever in motion which we are privileged enough to witness each day.

The Role of Choice in a Transitory World

The latter part of the quote – “Your choices outweigh your substance” – calls us to reflect on the power of choice in shaping our lives, and by extension, the world around us. In the wilderness of Londolozi, the choices of the animals are fundamental to the survival and thriving of the ecosystem. Predators choose their prey, herds choose where to graze, and the plants choose where to grow. Even the smallest insect plays a role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem, serving as important food sources for migratory birds.

Humans, too, have choices that transcend the material substance of our being. Our choices – whether to live in harmony with nature or to exploit it for our own benefit – shape the world for future generations. At Londolozi, the choices of conservationists, rangers, and visitors all contribute to the delicate balance of life and to this ecosystem. This sacred land has been protected and preserved, not by the monument of human effort, but by the conscious, deliberate choices to value, respect, and protect it. Londolozi – meaning ‘Protector of all living things‘ – is a choice to try and preserve this sacred land for future generations of people, wildlife, plants, and the land overall.

In this way, Londolozi teaches us that it is not the physical monument of nature that endures, but the spirit of the land, sustained by the choices of those who walk upon it.

Transcending Time: A Reminder of Our Place in the Cycle

The wildness of Londolozi also reminds us that time is not linear – it is cyclical. The same rain that nourishes the land today may have fallen as a thunderstorm hundreds of years ago. The same water that fills the river today may one day return to the ocean, only to be drawn back into the clouds and fall once again as rain. The water drunk by a leopard on a hot summer’s day could have meandered in a river years ago. Nature, and our place within it, is cyclical, and our existence, much like the water that flows through us, is only a brief interlude in the grand rhythm of the earth.

As humans, we often think of ourselves as separate from nature, as if we are the ones who observe the wilderness, rather than being an integral part of it. But we are not separate from the cycle; we are part of it. The choices we make today, the actions we take to protect the environment, and the way we live in harmony with the land and animals will shape the future of Londolozi, and the world beyond it, for generations to come.

More Weather Pattern than Monument

As we leave Londolozi, the wildlife encounters and memories linger in our minds like the mist that surrounds the dawn. The leopards, the elephants, the impalas, the people, and the place – they are not eternal, and neither are we. But in our brief time here, we have the power to make choices that resonate beyond our lifetimes. Just as the water in our bodies was once a thunderstorm and will eventually become part of the ocean, we are part of a larger, ever-evolving story that is shaped by the choices we make today.

In the end, Londolozi teaches us that we are not monuments, fixed in time, but rather weather patterns – shifting, changing, and, in our brief moment of existence, making our mark on the land and the world around us. Like sunlight on mist, we too are fleeting, but our choices can leave an indelible impact, shaping the world for generations to come.