The elephant lumbers up to his calves, cutting a sharp path through the thick foliage. Animals greet him with enthusiastic twerps and excited cheers as he swaggers by. Exhaustion looms over his face and the arduous task has made his feet wobbly. But he walks with poise. The calves dart, frolicking around one of their younger cousins, squabbling over a toy that they discovered recently. 

Warmth fills the elephant’s heart as he gazes at his bubbly children lovingly. The older one, has already inherited all the sarcasm and the sincerity he always envisioned in her. The younger one, is a notorious bundle, constantly galling her older sibling. She has imbibed her sister’s…methods of communication, which he cannot fathom, a blessing or a curse. Perhaps a bit of both?

Whatever it was, seeing his young always lifts his spirits and his face lights up, exhaustion vanishing from the deep folds of his cheeks and eyes.

The calves glance upwards, a laugh blooming onto the older one’s trunk and a cheeky grin materializing on the younger one’s face as she playfully swings her trunk towards him. The older one watches, contemplating how tired her guardian looks. She enfolds him in an embrace, and he playfully nudges her, signaling that she should take him to her mother. They share a chuckle, as conspiring together to prank their mum is a lifetime tradition. It always ends in chaos and them roaring with laughter until they have a stitch in their stomachs. Tails swishing, they trod the vast expanse, reaching her mum, who is blissfully immersed in her errands.

They contentedly share the meal their father whips up. He is able to make even the blandest of foods into the tastiest of morsels, and they enjoy their dinner, heartily devouring it as they are all ravenous.

After finishing the meal, the father heads to the clearing they utilize to frisk in. He patiently teaches the calves new tricks to win their scuffles and whizzes across the wide, open space, racing with them, blowing cobwebs away. The gentle twinkle in his eyes delineates his unconditional love.

As the dark evening metamorphoses into a starry night, sleep crawls into the dreamy eyes. Pointing out the various constellations in the clear twilight sky, he tucks his children in to sleep, making sure the guards are right where they are supposed to be; they should not be harmed. He has to protect them, no matter what. He stays awake for a while, keeping an eye on his family.

In their sleep, the calves smile softly, undisturbed. He is their role model……their guiding light.

Happy Father’s Day!

Signing off…