
So the other day I was in the shed sorting and pricing my pile o' junk when I heard a strange “meep, meep” that I thought was a bird. My property butts up against a greenbelt so it's not uncommon to see deer saunter by, or hear birds and eagles chirping and yelling, or witness the backyard raccoon family return each evening to their treehouse directly behind my living room window. But I'd never heard this sound before.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I looked out the shed door to find a Fawn, all by its lonesome, meeping and circling my yard frantically, as if it was looking for its family. And sure enough, not ten seconds later, a Doe came sauntering through my yard about 3 feet from where I stood and nudged baby forward into the dense foliage beyond my home. I was glued in place, elated. I'm a sucker for seeing any wild animals, especially when they visit so close to my home. I watched as the pair disappeared into the trees below.
About ten minutes later, I was shuffling through stuff again when I heard another rustle, followed by another meep. I looked up just as a Stag was trotting through my tiny yard on the heels of another Fawn. Stunned at the sight of a large beast just feet away from where I stood, motionless, I held my breath. Just then, he stopped...and looked directly at me with a penetrating stare. I reached for the door, intent on slooowly shutting it, but I didn't want to spook anyone (ahem...me!). So we both stood there, Daddy Stag looking right into my eyes, and me trying to regain my breath as I held his gaze. I felt a bit timid, but not really afraid. It was as if the deer was letting me know that he and his family were just passing through, and “Hey, thanks for letting us use your yard.” He left a minute later, quietly and slowly walking behind his babe as they meandered down the path.
Even though I see wildlife around my home at least weekly, it's rare that I see several kinds appearing in clusters for days or weeks at a time, then a new group of animals appear. I'd been noticing an abundance of bunnies earlier in the summer, now several families of deer. Ever curious about animal totems and what messages these animals may be signaling, I was anxious to find the meaning of “deer in my path,” when I found the following:
“When a Deer totem enters your world, a new innocence and freshness is about to be awakened. New adventures are just around the corner and there will be an opportunity to express the gentle love that will open new doors for you.”
Beautiful. Especially since I am embarking on several adventures that have had no obvious signs (yet) of how they will ultimately turn out. More to be revealed...
Meep!