I haven’t posted a blog in a while, for I wait to get the creative bug where words are flying through my fingers. That happened this morning, as my inner child jumped for joy, when I decided to adopt a rhino (Apollo) and an elephant (Lakita).

This is great reminder of how connecting with our younger selves can be so rewarding.  

As a little girl, I imagined having a rhino and elephant! Now, I really do!!!!!!!

A short story.

In my childhood, I never really played with Easy-Bake Ovens or Dolls, and I never dreamed of a fairytale wedding, several children, and a white picket fence with the perfect landscaping.

Instead, I loved Career Barbie and Pound Puppies. My imaginary friend was Tarzan, and I pretended to be Jane; we lived in the jungle and cared for all the wild animals. In reality, I dreamed of a future where I was a businesswoman like Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler in the 80s hit Big Business and would come home to a dog and cat welcoming me at the door, plus a man who loved me so much he would make me dinner. (Haha…this came true!)

Who remembers Zoobooks? Growing up in poverty, we didn’t have much outside absolute necessities. I remember a friend of mom’s, not even sure of her name-barely remember her face, brought us dinner one night because our pantry/fridge was bare, and mom didn’t get paid for a few days. *Side note: this is where my complex relationship with food began: scarcity. While this blog isn’t about food and body, I think it is important enough to mention that piece.* I had never told anyone about my imaginary friend, Tarzan, but I told her. That was the only time I saw her, yet she surprised me and bought me a 2-year subscription to Zoobooks. My little self felt so special; this was a meaningful luxury.

I would impatiently wait for my magazine to show up in the mail, and I couldn’t wait to see what the animal of the month would be and learn all about them. The koalas of Australia grabbed my attention, but mostly I found myself drawn to all of the animals of Africa. Specifically, the largest land mammals: rhinos and elephants. I remember rhino month so clearly. The babies were incredibly adorable, their personalities fascinated me, and I had thoughts of… “rhinos are just misunderstood.”

So, while Tarzan and I lived in a jungle in South America, we still had a rhino and elephant!

When I recently discovered the fantastic organization, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, I jumped at the chance to adopt two orphans. Both lost their families due to poaching. Breaks my heart. If you have a heart for the animal kingdom like me, check out this organization doing great work!

With love and light – Sarah Lee