What Walking With Wild Lions Taught Me About Matchmaking

People often ask me what qualifies me to be a matchmaker. Fair question. After all, matchmaking isn't exactly a field with standardized credentials or required certifications.

So let me tell you about the time I walked with wild lions in Zimbabwe.

The Lion Walk

It was always a dream of mine to get that close to a real lion. When I had the opportunity to do a lion walk at Antelope Park in Zimbabwe (a conservation project working to return lions to the wild) I jumped at it.

First, I had to take a safety course. They made one thing very clear: no guns on the walk. If a lion attacked, there was nothing they could do except try to scare it off. I was more than happy to take that risk, this was so important to me to do.

My African friend's parents, whose home I was staying in, absolutely forbid me to do the walk. They thought I was crazy. The cultural expectation was clear: as their guest, I should respect their wishes.

I wanted it badly enough that I told them I'd move to a hotel so I could do it anyway. Not to be difficult, but to be true to myself and what I wanted/needed to do. This was at the very top of my bucket list in life, along with living in Africa.

We navigated those cultural differences. We found compromise. And I got my lion walk.

As you can see from the photo, the two lions loved me as much as I love them. That moment, petting a wild lion while it growled warnings at others to stay away, taught me something essential about connection: sometimes the most meaningful relationships require courage, cultural sensitivity, and a willingness to understand someone else's perspective while still honoring your own needs.

Sound familiar? That's exactly what finding love requires.

 Facilitating Across Cultures

My professional background is in facilitation and conflict resolution. I have a Master's degree in International Relations, and I've spent decades helping people have difficult conversations, find common ground, and discover what they actually want versus what they think they want.

One of my most memorable facilitation sessions was with the San People (Bushmen) in Southern Africa. I was helping them develop a strategic plan for their community. This included me having to navigate language barriers, cultural differences, internal organization dynamics that needed conflict resolution, and vastly different worldviews.

Midway through the session, an ostrich wandered into our meeting space, decided it looked comfortable, and took a nap.

I kept facilitating around the ostrich.

Later, the Elders told me that continuing without missing a beat, accepting the ostrich's right to be there and not letting it phase me at all, won their respect and trust. I had honored their world instead of imposing my expectations on it. During my time in Africa, I also facilitated sessions where baboons and warthogs joined as well. The ability to roll with the unexpected is one of my super powers.

That's the thing about working across cultures: you learn to adapt. You learn to read people beyond their words. You learn to understand what matters most to them, even when it's expressed in ways you've never encountered before.

Every single facilitation taught me the same lesson: real connection happens when you approach people with non-judgment, kindness, and respect.

Dancing on Remote Runways

When I flew into the Okavango Delta, our guides had to chase zebras and wildebeests off the airstrip so our plane could land. The same happened when I was getting ready to fly out on a very small aircraft. To celebrate the connections that I had made with these two incredible men and the wonderous wildlfe of the Okavango we danced together on the runway.

That's what happens when you show up with curiosity and openness to a completely different world. Connection isn't something you force or manufacture. It's something that happens naturally when you're genuinely interested in other people.

I've lived in multiple foreign countries where I didn't speak the language and didn't know anyone. Every single time, I had to figure out how to build genuine connections with people who were completely different from me.

I learned how to see past surface differences and find the human connection underneath.

That's exactly what matchmaking requires.

What This Has to Do With Your Love Life

If I can tame wild animals, I can help you tame your wild dating life.

But seriously, when I match people at Wayward Hearts, I'm not just looking at your profiles and checking boxes. I'm using decades of experience understanding human behavior, communication patterns, and what actually makes relationships work.

I know how to:

• Listen for what you're not saying

• Recognize patterns you might not see in yourself

• Understand what you truly need versus what you think you want

• See potential matches that algorithms would completely miss

• Navigate the vulnerable, complicated work of human connection

Walking with lions taught me about courage and calculated risk. Facilitating across cultures taught me about seeing people clearly. Dancing on African runways taught me about the joy of immediate, genuine connection.

All of these experiences taught me the same fundamental truth: real connection happens when you approach people with non-judgment, kindness, and respect.

My Philosophy

These three principles: non-judgment, kindness, and respectare the foundation of everything I do at Wayward Hearts.

I expect them from every member because they're essential to genuine connection. And I lead with them in every interaction because that's how trust is built.

Matchmaking isn't about finding someone perfect. It's about finding someone genuinely compatible with who you actually are. That requires honesty, vulnerability, and courage.

My job is to create a space where that's possible.

Why Wayward Hearts Is Different

Dating apps show you profiles. They give you algorithms and swipes and endless scrolling.

I offer something completely different: actual human expertise in understanding people and recognizing compatibility.

I've walked with wild lions. I've facilitated strategic planning for Indigenous communities. I've built friendships in countries where I couldn't speak the language.

I know what real connection looks like. And I know how to help you find it.

If you're tired of dating apps and endless swiping, if you're ready for someone to actually help you find genuine connection, visit waywardhearts.ca

Let's find your match.