Deer One

In route from the grocery store yesterday afternoon I caught motion out of the corner of my eye and saw that it was a deer... once again I hurried home grabbed my camera and whizzed back hoping she would stll be nibbling the bushes. She was, and I was elated to have finally had good timing.
Deer are a constant in my neighborhood, but I've missed many opportunities being cameraless. I don't know why I feel so compelled to catch them with my lens but it feeds my soul greatly to do so, so I do. As of late I have noticed being much more drawn to the wilds, always so... but more than usual these days. I feel great joy and fulfillment in seeing and learning about the wonderous four leggeds I share this earth with, and at the same time I feel dispirited that they are all in danger of our stupidity, greed, and sense of entitlement.
I feel protective of our wilds... to me they are the very threads holding us in some form of balance... a counter equanimity for the grimmness of our wars and ugliness of our hate and intolerance. Just knowing that they are out there living pure and uninfluenced by the material world... ever living the circle, helps me to feel hope. At times I stop and think to myself that somewhere out there right now there is a wolf howling, or hunting or playing... and I find peace in that thought. And witnessing the gentle deer reminds me... that there is good in the world, and in people.
So thank you dear one... may we continue to cross paths.

"In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth."
-- from The Outermost House by Henry Beston