The Gift

A gift arrived yesterday morning and I was speechless. For those of you who know me, “speechless” is not usual for me, at any time. But this, this left me speechless.

It was early morning; I was out feeding the birds. As I walked to the feeder near the vegetable garden, I saw something on the ground. I realized it was a pair of deer antlers. I actually thought “are those antlers?” As I walked over to them, it was amazing.

There they sat, side by side, in perfect symmetry. As if, the deer had simply lowered his head and they had fallen from each side of his head. I was amazed. I knelt down almost afraid to touch them. 
My first response was to feel so honored. Yes, honored! I touched them carefully like they were precious (which they are), like they were breakable. Then I found myself looking around as if I would see who had left them. I was astounded that they were there and that they were placed so carefully in my yard. The points of each antler were facing downward, not stuck in the ground, just placed there almost carefully. I looked around again, unsure if I should pick them up or leave them. I was astounded, speechless and oh so touched by this gift.

I believe that animals are symbols. As I have come to “be” a part of the “whole” world, this belief arrived naturally in my heart. I speak to all animals, insects and plants. I have come to know all is a “life” and so needs to be respected. Now, as I study The Course in Miracles, I see why this belief grew so naturally and feels so real – we are all “ONE” and so we are all connected to one another.

My “honor” came from the fact that this lovely young buck would come and leave these antlers here for me.  I do not believe in coincidence, you see. For these antlers could have “fallen off” anywhere, at any time, in any place in the forest behind our house. BUT, they did not “fall” off anywhere; he came to my yard and left them there, where I would find them.

What was also wondrous, as I accepted this gift, picked them up and brought them into the house, was that I did not know “why” I was so honored. The feeling was immediate and real, without a reason in my mind.

I had no intellectual idea what antlers would mean, and that did not matter!! Really, I saw inside myself, I could be honored by this gift without finding significance to them, a message to them, a reason for them. That feeling of honored was enough and I had to see my growth in that; for previously I would have feverishly needed to find the message, go on the internet, search high and low to know what the message was. But this day, no. I did not have to have a reason to feel what I was feeling.

I am grateful for that change in myself. The feeling of honored was wondrous in and of itself and expressed my thanks to the deer as I accept his gift to me.

Of course, not being “transparent” yet, later in the day my mind became curious and I did email a colleague who is native, to ask him what they could be about.  I do still have an “ego” and I did give in to it.  But, also I realized that if he did not answer me that would be ok as well.

Carlos did answer me and told me that in the native culture this is a sign of Deer as a totem animal is harmony, gentleness and kindness and that the number of points on each antler also mattered. As he explained his belief about the significance, the wonder of this gift increased, by “coincidence”.

He said that the one antler with 3 points represent the power, and to explain that he told me to visualize the Christian Trinity.  The second antler had 4 point and here is the “coincidence” – he said for the 4 points to “visualize the pagan diamond which is a square (four-sided) standing on one point and then divided in the middle revealing two equilateral triangles one on top of the other--as above so below.”

My friends, this is my symbol; the symbol I have used ever since I began channeling. It is two triangles, one on top of the other meeting – mine meet at their points, and I had always felt – no research on this one – that it was about “as above, so below”.

Well, if I needed any confirmation, there it was. These antlers were a gift for me! Thank you Carlos for catering to my human mind’s curiosity and confirming what I had already felt.

These antlers will now find a place of honor in our front garden; our St. Francis of Assisi Garden because so many creatures live and visit us there.  And once again, friends:

The view from here has changed. It is fuller and even more complete.
More harmonious than ever before.