Rain was tapping through the trees, disrupting every leaf in sight. Silence slipped into every pause in precipitation, filling the woods with a foggy mystique. The tall, towering, wooden giants protected the surface from most of the storm’s wrath. Between the trees I traipsed alone through the monsoon.
I decided to go hiking on a rainy Thursday afternoon, knowing that I would be sharing the trail with no one. I was walking through the wild alone in a misty barrage of rain. It was the closest I have ever felt to nature; I could feel the heartbeat of the forest. I felt like I was a part of the forest. I belonged there.
As I was walking back from the summit, I saw movement ahead on the trail. I cautiously approached, unsure of what I would be encountering since I was fairly certain it would not be a human. Directly in front of me was small deer, going about his business. I was captivated; I had seen deer before, but this was different. This time I wasn’t just an observer. I felt a kinship with the deer. At that moment, I realized that I could never kill an animal for sport and I don’t understand how other people could. Seeing the innocence drawn all over this beautiful animal’s face was enough to ensure this realization. The deer lingered on the path for a moment before seeing me and running off quickly.
Several other deer ran across the path as I was walking back, and every time I would just stop and marvel at the sight of them. A couple of them would run to a safe distance away and then watch me with a similar curiosity. After all, I was the guest in their kingdom. These moments were too precious to waste on a picture; I didn’t even make an effort to capture it.
I hope that those deer continue to run away from people; the next person they run into may have completely different intentions.
Spinning Atlas 