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| Subject: The Buck | |
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Author: The Songman |
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Date Posted: 01:27:32 01/22/08 Tue The Buck It was a cool, crisp November night. Despite the late hour the night was bright. The darkness, washed away by the luminous smile of the full moon. It had been an especially trying week at work and the stress lingered. My mind was racing. There did not appear to be an off switch to the onslaught of thoughts. My restless attempt at sleep was met with a constant tossing and turning, finally concluding, sleep was out of the question. I slipped out of bed, got dressed and decided to enjoy the full moon. I stepped outside for a walk. The night was silent except for the occasional hoot of an owl emanating from the field which sat alongside the house. Having left without a set destination, I decided to wander into the field. It had been hayed earlier in the fall, so she was cut short and walking was easy. A large boulder sat in the middle of the field offering me an excellent perch to sit, watch and listen. Maybe the night would hand me an opportunity to observe the owl. The quiet was contagious. As I sat in silence atop the boulder my mind began to adjust to the slow paced rhythms of the night. It soon became apparent that the owl’s call was not the only sound present. A light rustling off to my right revealed a pair of rabbits – hopping, stopping, ears twitching – cautiously feeding under the full moon sky. Again, the owl hooted, giving the rabbits reason to pause briefly before resuming their late night feed. The light of the moon provided a sharp contrast. Visibility was excellent. The trees, standing along the edge of the clearing, sentries performing a night time vigil, cast long shadows; fingers stretched, reaching deep into the field. A lone coyote emerged from the shadows grasp, casually loping, engaged in a fearless search for food. I gazed deep into the sky, almost starless; the light of the moon overwhelming all but the brightest stars. Yet if you listened closely, you could hear them softly whispering their universal call. Beneath the stars, a few long, thin, wispy clouds slowly meandered across the sky, peaceful and quiet, thoughtlessly engaged in a soundless search for a destination unknown. The worries that had prevented my sleep took flight and joined the clouds on their never ending quest. My mind, now completely at peace, had blended with my surroundings. Gone were all the workday worries I had unnecessarily carried home with me. Compared to the magnitude and beauty of my surroundings, they were insignificant. Suddenly, directly behind me, I heard the crackle of dried leaves and the snapping of a twig. Quietly, in an unhurried motion, I repositioned myself to face the subtle disturbance. Not knowing what to expect, I sat waiting motionless. Then he stepped into the field, cautiously surveying his surroundings, standing tall and regal – a handsome white tail buck. He was crowned with a rack that had to be 12 and quite possibly 14 points. He was the biggest buck I had ever seen. Despite his size, he carefully watched for danger and moved in a stealthy fashion. I dared not move. My breath was imperceptible and shallow. He was slowly heading in my direction. The light breeze was working in my favor, carrying my scent away from his keen sense of smell. As he approached, my spirit joined with the rock I sat upon, frozen in place. My mind, now completely absorbed by his presence, began to contemplate his existence. I gave thought to the stress he must face in his life; the onslaught of human encroachment; the never ending persistence of suburban blight, a constant pressure on his habitat; the challenge of the cycle of the seasons and the changing nature of his food supply; the yearly ritual of the hunt; ticks and mosquitoes, and all the diseases spawned by both. The list could go on. The buck, being a creature of instinct, has no idea what worry is, even though he seemed to have plenty to worry about. He must remain focused in the moment, his life depended on it. By now he was barely twenty feet away, still completely unaware of my presence. I continued with my train of thought. How would my life be different if I remained focused in the present? Would the quality of my life improve if I did not worry about tomorrow or fret over what happened yesterday? There’s nothing I can do about it anyway. Besides, yesterday’s already gone and tomorrow may never come. Am I not better off experiencing what each instant has to offer, while it’s being offered? I probably would have gotten a good night’s sleep if my mind hadn’t been elsewhere. My higher senses were affirming that the buck’s approach of being focused in the moment was quite possibly, a better approach to living. Without thinking I cleared my throat and the buck, somewhat startled, raised his head and looked me straight in the eye; so much for silence. I swear he winked at me before he turned and made a dash for the woods. As I got down from the rock and started to walk home I could only marvel by the night’s experience. By silencing my mind and living in the moment, I was treated to one of nature’s gifts. Along with the experience came a great lesson which may have been the true nature of the gift in the first place. It never ceases to amaze me, how much we can learn about human nature by observing mother nature closely. I approached the road and the hoot of the owl cried out once more. I turned, smiled and softly whispered a heartfelt, thank you. Bill Schmidt You are all miracles. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |