As most of you might remember, I run outside whenever I get the chance. And because I live in a wooded area, it’s not unusual for me to cross paths with a variety of wild life, including deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, chipmunks, wood chucks, ducks, hawks and even eagles. Yesterday’s run will be one I never forget.
The weather was cool, in the 60’s and it had begun to rain. I was running on an unpaved road and I was enjoying the texture of damp rocks and earth beneath my feet while I was listening to Bill Bryson’s I’m a Stranger Here Myself. I was about 4 miles into my route and even though the sky was looking like it was going to truly open up any minute, I had all my big hills behind me and was headed back.
Rounding a small corner, I came to an abrupt stop. No more than 15 feet away from me was the tiniest baby fawn I’d ever seen, just standing there on the side of the road. Mom wasn’t more than ten feet away from her little one, but she was positioned in a way that a wire fence and brush were between her and her babe. My plan was to stay quiet and watch. Maybe even get a picture to show the boys if I could get my phone out of my belt without alarming them.
That’s when it happened…the already large eyes of the fawn lit up. I’m not kidding. This itty, bitty creature, not much taller than my thigh, grew excited at the sight of me and toddled over on wobbly legs. It’s poor mother was having a heart attack. I prayed Mama wouldn’t jump the fence and land on me as her little one then came up and put his or her nose against my hand. I’m sure I would have been privileged to pet the little one, if at that moment, the near hysterical mother hadn’t given a loud snort of warning and chastisement to her child. Once again the fawns face changed–registering that it had possibly made a huge mistake. On pencil thin legs, it turned away from me and teetered into the woods on the other side of the road. Mom was out of the meadow and after it before I could blink. And then they were gone.
With a huge smile on my face, I ran on with Bill Bryson in my ear phones. He was talking about the ever growing, weird phenomenon of people living their lives in temperature controlled houses, malls and cars. I listened to his humorous, but sadly true observations on how we’ve become a society of people who find it too easy to remove ourselves from nature and the connections it has to offer. It felt incredibly timely and ironic all in the same breath.
But that wasn’t my only deep thought as I moved down the road. As my mind replayed this once in a life time experience over and over again, I also couldn’t help but think about how the littlest creatures of the world, animal or human, seem to be born without prejudice. Even now, I keep seeing those eyes and that moment when a fawn looked excited to see me. I’ve never felt so connected to an animal in the wild before. It gave me a flush of hope for bigger things–kinder things.
It also made me so glad I’d stopped everything to enjoy that particular moment–instead of trying to capture it with a camera. I love taking incredible pictures, but some experiences are meant to be lived instead of captured. And perhaps if I’d had a picture, I would have posted that, instead of taking the time to paint you one with my words. Writing this down was it’s own kind of pleasure.
I can’t wait to go running again…
Have you ever had a moment like this? You must tell me about it.
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Wow, what an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience to have a baby deer come up to you and nuzzle your hand! It sounds so precious and heart-pounding. Thanks for sharing, Kim.