I had not seen a deer on the beach before. And she was alone. The deer in my and my neighbors’ yards were usually in groups of three, sometimes as many as six.
My pup and I were sitting on a log about forty feet from her when she saw us. I had Lyric sit at my feet, so as not to scare her. She looked at us for a minute or so, then stepped elegantly in to the gentle waves of the incoming tide. She walked out into deeper water, up to her belly.
Was she washing something off? She walked out further, and appeared to be swimming. Was something wrong? She moved her head back and forth.This looked and felt wrong.
Lyric tried to run down to the edge of the water where she was.
“Come Lyric. Let’s let her be, she won’t come in if we stand here.” I knew I was talking to myself at that point. Lyric returned to the spot on the shore closest to her a couple more times.
We walked about 10 more minutes in the southeast direction of the beach. The wind was getting colder, I turned around and Lyric galloped to catch up with me.
When we got near to where the doe had gone in the water, I saw a dark shape floating about fifty feet or so out. It was her body. Lyric knew something was wrong. He ran down to the edge of the water and looked out at her.
Why would a doe drown herself? I was numbed. I called to Lyric as I walked back the way we’d come. He came to me, then ran back to where the doe was floating. He came when I called him and we kept walking.
What could I have done?
Perhaps I did it: witness. An act of nature, a peaceful ending. What were the chances I would be a mile down the beach from the entry point, at 1:15 in the afternoon on this particular day?
A couple days later was my birthday. A marvelous day, one of the most memorable of my life. My cherished friend, Terra Lea, came over, got us a delicious lunch of fish tacos which we ate at Fort Casey State Park, walked our pups on the seemingly endless beach, chased our pups, and talked. A witness and celebrant of my special day.
To be present for someone else. Perhaps no action is required except your presence. I bet you can list a myriad of occasions when you have witnessed for someone else, perhaps not even aware of it at the time.
Ah yes, be present. Be the light.
Caroline
February 8, 2021 at 3:23 pmBeautiful Mary, I can’t imagine why she did that, it MUST have been an act of nature. Bless her doe ❤️
Mary
February 8, 2021 at 3:39 pmHi Caroline! My vet, and a couple friends well-acquainted with animals, suggested she was dying, or seriously ill and knew it. Thank you for reading~
Michele Ohge
February 8, 2021 at 7:10 pmHi Mary!
Deer swim in the Puget Sound. They swim between the islands and across the Sound & Hood Canal. I have seen them many times – was even kayaking once down by Anderson Island and 1swam by heading for one of the other islands.
Terra Lea Dennis
February 8, 2021 at 7:14 pmWitness! Yes! We can witness with presence all of it, the good, the not so good, all of it. You are right, that is the present! Presence!
Mary
February 9, 2021 at 10:14 amMerci beaucoup, Terra Lea. You have done so much of this for me and support.
Michele Ohge
February 8, 2021 at 7:15 pmP.S. it sounds like Lyric is doing very well with following your commands and learns quickly!
Mary
February 9, 2021 at 10:16 amHi Chele! Lyric is teaching me~ He does learn quickly. Me accepting his puppiness, his exuberance for life is my challenge. THank you for your time and thoughts, Chele.
Judith Alexander
February 9, 2021 at 8:15 amThanks, Mary. Another wonderful post. We feel as if we were on the beach today, and now we wish you Happy Birthday !! (Or ‘Merry Unbirthday’)
Mary
February 9, 2021 at 10:18 amThank you, Judith. I so appreciate your ongoing support and thoughts. When you are back in the NW, we’ll go for a walk on the beach. Best to you two.
Jill Snow
February 9, 2021 at 12:17 pmWe had a lovely kitten for almost 18 years. The day before she died, Izzy walked out to the woods behind our home. As I watched her, I wondered what she was doing. She didn’t come in that night, no matter how much we tried to call her. We assumed we wouldn’t see her again and were so grateful when out neighbor brought her to us wrapped in a blanket, and we sat with her in front of our wood stove and watched over her as she died. We felt so blessed to have her with us as she walked off to that big forest in the sky.
You were that doe’s witness as she swam off to the great ocean in the sky. What an honor❣️
Mary
February 9, 2021 at 3:19 pmJill~ Thank you. Connections come in so many ways, I am still learning. May you and all your family being doing splendidly.
Deanna
February 9, 2021 at 1:51 pmAw, Mary,this so touched my heart. We have had some lovely moments at the Whiskey Creek beach watching young deer jump in the waves with joy, and a doe and her fawn wading into the water together. I never knew that deer had such a connection to saltwater, and your story confirms that. Maybe a place for her to go when it was time, or the pain was too much? We can’t know, but what a deep connection you felt in that moment. And yes, your presence and that connection do so matter!
Mary
February 9, 2021 at 3:25 pmHi Dea! Blessings upon you. Merci beaucoup for reading and taking time to comment. It is so good to know when my words touch someone. By the way, can you believe Reykjavik and Paris were 4 decades ago!
Gayle Helseth-Kenison
February 17, 2021 at 9:19 amI was thinking of our experiences at Whiskey Creek too; the joy of watching the deer dance in the salt water!
Cathy Simpson
February 28, 2021 at 1:11 pmA little late to the comments. Sad to watch, but God has His own way with nature and His creatures. Once at Ebey’s Landing, my son and I saw a deer and her fawn come down the bluff at the N end and was quite surprised to see us and scampered up the beach. Once at Kalaloch, we witnessed a deer trying to figure out where to cross the creek at the beach, and as we were watching, an eagle flew low over her and it looked like she snapped at it, like a dog would. When the eagle came back from the surf, it dove closer to her and she reared and kicked at it–a very bizarre demonstration of interaction between species and I’ve often wondered how one could encroach on the territory or life of the other. How curious you would see this doe purposefully (?) put herself in fatal danger. Blessings to you my dear!
Mary
February 28, 2021 at 10:42 pmHi Cathy. Thanks for your intriguing story. I remember you, Leslie, Setzie and I at Ebey’s Landing, too. Blessings upon you and yours~
Aletha J Riter
March 6, 2021 at 5:17 pmReading this as of late: To be a witness in any part of life is amazing… whether its in something that you witnessed that day or something more sublime. God has a unique way of taking nature; no matter what he has created. I feel that it was her calling to go to the water. Something gentle, and swift. She didn’t die alone as you and Lyric were there. Maybe that was part of God’s plan. Beautiful Blog…..
Mary
March 6, 2021 at 7:06 pmAletha~ Thank you. Peace and light to you.