The Unspoken Bond: A Mother's Love in Nature

I traveled to Rome, Italy, with my family a few years ago. When in Rome, I went to the zoo! Yes, that’s right. Not only did I see all of the famous historical sites that Rome is so rich with, but I also wanted to take my family to the zoo and see the animals.

My father, who was a world traveler, was less than impressed with my choice sightseeing of sightseeing locations. I was not put off by his grumblings. The photographer in me wanted to see the animals.

It was a very hot, humid day, and we were pretty much the only family there at the Bioparco di Roma Zoo. The heat had most of the animals hiding in shadows and their shelters.

We had walked everywhere looking for animals to visit and for me to photograph. The kids were complaining, and my husband was ready to throw in the towel—until we came upon the Japanese Macaque monkeys.

They didn’t seem bothered by the sticky, oppressive heat. As we stood there waiting for some action, all we saw was a lot of them lying on the wood-chipped ground, cleaning each other.

We waited for a long time to see if there would be any action, and then it happened. This cute baby monkey, who must have been in his father’s arms because of the size of the monkey holding him, decided to wrap his tiny hands and feet around the rope.

A female monkey, whom we assumed was his mother, got up from cleaning herself and began to help guide the monkey along the rope course.

I captured it with my camera at this moment. We were fascinated by watching this monkey’s hands gently guide her baby across, being there for her little one in case he or she fell.

I never thought too deeply about the connection between apes and man before until this motherly scene solidified the shared instinctual care we give to our children.

A mother monkey watches over her little baby at the playground, giving support yet letting her baby explore and develop some independence. My heart and soul felt that deep connection with the mother monkey as I was in a transitional time in my life, and my kids were on the brink of each finding independence and needing less of me.

I remember standing there memorizing with the mother monkey and thinking about how we, as mothers, gift our children with life and survival skills so they can grow away from needing us as much.

The quiet support of the mother monkey with her baby was something that I took away with me that day. I was an overly protective mother who hovered over my kids. It was not easy for me to let go. Yet, as I watched this monkey family, I felt I was learning from this mother monkey, as she taught me to let the kids be curious, give them support when needed, and be there when they needed protection.

Now, years later, every now and then, when I need a gentle reminder to let my kids, who are now young adults, explore and be curious about the world, I pull this photo out and let the emotions that I first felt wash over me, allowing this evolution’s shared thread to continue.

This is one of my most prized photos—a raw, unfiltered moment in a nature scene: a monkey with her baby at a playground.

The coloring may seem dull, with muted shades of brown and grey blending into a very boring background of wood chips and concrete habitat. Yet, the mother and her baby stand apart, vivid evidence of the beauty of connection.

While this scene may seem ordinary to some, to me, it speaks volumes. At that moment, in my viewfinder, the mother’s life unfolded in its simplest, purest form.