Tonight a true story, just the facts, and we’ll let the conclusions come in the comment thread. I really am begging you to participate in this one. Yes You! I want the reaction and how this real-life metaphor, absolute non-coincidence feels to you, or why you think it was shown to me.

Monday November 29th, 7:05 a.m

The biting cold air followed me through the door of the new Hardee’s restaurant just south of Ottawa. I was here for my weekly coffee coaching meeting with Rob… but… where was Rob?? I looked around, and figured that because I was late, he’d probably already be there. A quick check of the phone showed that I had a text message.

Rob had tweaked his back over the weekend and woke up in pain early in the morning, he wasn’t coming to coffee.

Oh well, it was a beautiful morning to be up and at ’em. The matte grey sky was turning lighter silver. Although no sun shone through, the crisp morning of very early winter had a picturesque character. Better to look at through the windshield of my heated truck, than to feel against the skin.

I decided to head back home, but take the longer way; my favorite way. From Ottawa 6 miles south to Princeton on gravel roads, I figured I’d take my time. Hey, I might see a deer or something, what the heck!

So Roxy and I pulled out onto 59 Hwy, but not for long. I love to drive West up Kingman road for a mile to meet at the hilltop with Eisenhower. I’m sure I’m not the only one who goes out of their way, up that rise and slows down near the top. It’s there where you get a great view of the old quarry.

I’m sure someone out there can recite a history of the place, I don’t know it. But it’s a beautiful spot, where you can see the bright blue quarry lake below, usually wildlife and not the point of this here story.

Anyway, as you connect up with Eisenhower Rd and head south, there’s a small dip, then back up the hill, then you start back down a longer slope…

I was taking my time, looking around and just as I was starting down the second hill, to my right, across the fence was a Doe.

Ha! A deer I sure did see a deer, just a few yards away!

She was running along in pace with my truck! I must’ve missed seeing her coming up from across the field, but I surely was the reason she had changed direction.

I couldn’t believe my luck! What a gorgeous site to see. She strode in big long graceful leaps down the incline, not missing a step. Then she started to accelerate! She wanted out and in front of me, she wanted across that road!

I sped up just a little, and like a good calf, she stayed straight ahead.

But when she gained even more speed, I backed off a bit to give her room. We weren’t all the way down the long slope together, and then it happened.

Then she banked!

Angled hard to the east!

and as she jumped…

caught a foot on the top row of the fence!

Blam! She came down face first in a crumpled heap right at the road’s edge! Of course, I had stopped at that point to let her by. I was a little shocked and regretful for messing around with her. It was a tangled pile of hooves and fur all in the wrong places.

But not for long!

Almost immediately, she popped back up. And Back over the fence she went!

Wow, what the heck? She’d tried so hard to get over here, and now after the crash, she leaps back over the fence?? Well I slowly headed forward as she once again followed the line straight south in a hurry. She moved fast and strong. I was amazed at her resiliency.

Maybe a hundred yards down the way, I had a chance to see her second try.

Amazing! This creature that just bit the damned dust, as hard as she did, found a better spot this time. The ground was higher and fence-top lower, but it wouldn’t have mattered, she wasn’t missing this jump again!

With just a little squat in the rear, she loaded up and launched! Like real-life slow motion, she cleared the barbed-wire by a mile in a huge rainbow arc.  She touched down mid-gallop in the middle of the road and kept going…

I had caught up to her by then, and her white flag tail was stuck on alert. As she took off to the east across the grey brown and frosted field, she left a huge plume of steam in her wake. The entire body of this deer was literally smoking in the early morning light, against the dark tree-lined horizon. There was no limp or gimp in that girl. She was bounding awau in big rhythmic bursts, off to the safety of the woods beyond.

I smiled inside and out 🙂

It’s a beautiful picture that I’ll always have in my mind. What an honor to see the grace, the strength, the failure and the resolute determination of this animal. I was on the front row of it all. I believed, then as now, that it wasn’t a chance meeting; that it was ordained that I witness this event firsthand.

I’ve thought about it alot since that Monday morning. I think I’m getting the message. Now, will I be able to act as quickly, jump as strongly and keep my direction through it all??

Guess we’ll find out pretty soon.

And, You’ll find out soon too. If you stay here with me at www.weirdforgood.com, then you’ll be the one with the front row seat!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

Please chime in this week, and let me know what you see in this story. I would love to read your opinion 🙂 Thanks!

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