The native South Africans had told this young woman many times the dangers of running in the bush of Kruger Park. It is the untamed home to Africa's natural habitat. She was especially warned about breaking the line between a mother elephant and her calf. Stubbornly she ignored their pleas to avoid jogging in this habitat.
One morning on yet another run on a majestic horizon she ran past a momma elephant whose calf was perpendicular several yards away. The line had been broken between them. The terrain could feel the agitation.
Before the young lady knew what she had done and by now completely helpless to do anything to help herself she was in deadly trouble. In just a few anxious strides the Momma Elephant angrily and effortlessly caught up to the jogger now running for her life, scooped her young frame up in her trunk and beat her to death against a tree in that beautiful untamed wild. Momma Elephant beat her against that tree as if telling her, you knew better. Momma made an example of her the natives told us.
Sometimes the lesson and learning is left posthumously for ears and minds behind.
Personally, I believe it is precisely this stubborn listening and wasted behaving that causes us to wake up the day after elections and only then ask ourselves, "How could this have happened?"
This story is for anyone listening. #learnbylistening #respect