A little stunned, but he remained calm, quiet, and still. She crept forward in steps, pausing between each as she surveyed the ground at her feet.
He had simply been walking for miles until the intensity of the rain moved him in under the natural umbrella of a leather leaf tree. He was reading….er….listening to a book read on his ipod and somewhat oblivious to sound, yet very aware of the rain, the woods, and the moment.
As he slumped down at the dry base of the tree his eyes became aware of the life occurring low and close to the ground. Everything around him seemed to be reacting favorably to the rain storm. Insects, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, and birds all scurried about attempting to make the most of the moisture.
It was then he saw her standing just across the trail and staring right at him. She was a beautiful white-tail that stood proudly and strangely calm as well. Almost intuitively he recalled his experiences hunting such an animal.. He tried to remain still, considering the wind direction and avoiding direct eye contact. Soon he realized that she was not frightened of him and for some unusual reason appeared to accept his place in the woods. She continued to eat the ground flora and stare at him curiously.
“Why not” he pondered. Why should he not be as much a part of this ecosystem as she is? This exchange went on far longer than can be expressed here. Eventually he rose; they bid their farewells and walked away in opposite directions. The rain had stopped and he could see streaks of sun piercing through the clouds and stabbing through the openings in the trees. He walked slower now and felt a little more connected.
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