He prayeth well who loveth well both man and bird and beast.

After all the years I have watched and admired Steve Irwin I found the news of his death to be very sad and tragic. As a photographer I have always dreamed of visiting Australia to photograph snakes and any other reptiles I might encounter. On that same note, I have long been a fan of visiting Africa for the same reason. To photograph snakes in the wild.

Like Australia I have read and studied quite a lot about Africa in case the opportunity were ever to arise that I would be able to visit. Some of the material I have read in regard to Africa is from Isak Dinesen (aka Baroness Karen Blixen) author of the book and well known movie, "Out of Africa".

Upon reading another book about the life of Baroness Blixen I came across the obituary of her lover Denys George Finch Hatten from The Times, London 1931. The very last paragraph, quoted below, is what struck a chord in my heart on our loss of Steve Irwin.

"He died, as he would have chosen, in the open air, amid the wide spaces that he loved, fearless and free to the end; and the charm of his wonderful personality and companionship is something which those who know him will treasure throughout their lives."

And finally, listed below, the simple lines that were placed upon Finch Hatton's grave taken from "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner".

"He prayeth well who loveth well both man and bird and beast."

While our pain is real to each of us it is only the slightest flick of a flame compared to his family's pain. I found those passages above to be comforting and wanted to share them with others.