The Apple Tree
"About Community"
As I sat enjoying my morning coffee there was a light rapping on the screen door. I wondered who would be here this early morning. Then another light rap. It was a gentle asking. I looked out it was a doe, with a couple other does and fawns behind her in the yard. She had come onto the covered porch of the cabin, as she often did, and was bidding me to join them. I looked over at Henry, my dog who knew what it meant and was wagging his tail with a big grin. He knew it was Sneak Time. A term we came up with together for when we should all be very quiet and pay attention. I sat down my coffee and stepped outside barefoot as was almost always the case to join the deer. They were wanting apples for sure.
In my mind I thought about how some would say things like "it's just learned behavior by the deer". But I knew that wasn't the case. Thinking like that was how some humans stayed comfortable in their closed off world. A security blanket of sorts. It allowed them to stay safe thinking they are separate from nature, and somehow superior. It's a peculiar isolated perspective of the world and likely what has led to our huge imbalance, and insecurities of always wanting more. While a different path and perspective has led many of us to find peace as we join with all around us on Gods green earth. Yes, I knew the deer were gently asking. It was a cooperation between spirits. We all had been together often on those warm summer days. Henry the dog, a few humans, and the small flock of deer that mostly lived in the back yard and alley nearby. It was a community. A community of kindred spirits who were all a bit out of the box as most would say. We all had found space to share and a new way to cooperate.
Henry was unlike all other dogs in town. He was gentle with the deer. When he first met them he watched from a lawn chair. I asked him to come outside and have a seat in the chair. Henry loved such things even though the woven lawn chairs were hardly aptly suited for his paws. He knew these were special moments. I told him that the deer were like Sadie his older sister the cat. That they were gentle and quiet and we had to be gentle and quite with them. Henry tilted his head in an inquisitive way to say "Are you sure dad? They really are quite large." I reassured him and he sat for a few moments and watched and listened. When Henry had it all figured out he looked over and nodded at me then hopped out of his chair. He went over to the deer and laid down in front of them in the grass. They came over to say Hi. They had greeted each other and all was fine from that meeting moment onward. They often hung out together in the back yard sleeping in the shade.
On this day the deer were asking for me to join them. A community works when everyone shares their gifts. It was a "Celebrate Diversity" moment where we all are honored for our uniqueness. The deer brought a warm gentle energy to the area. A serene calmness that wasn't there when they were off someplace else. Henry brought support in a loving way that is unique to dogs. A 'wow my favorite thing' in every moment energy. I brought a cooperative how can I help and be of use energy. The other people nearby all shared this. We all made up the community and all brought something to be shared, and honored by the others.
I went out to join the deer and yes they were wanting more apples. We lived with an apple tree who shaded some of the yard. It was old Victorian pie apple tree. A bit tart which would be perfect for pies. It was the last tree in the yard to have ripe apples. It was also quite cautious at wanting to give them up. Winter was on the way and instead of being eager to spread it's offerings as most trees gladly did. This tree preferred to hold onto them as long as it could, to savor the moment as the days and nights began getting colder. The tree knew it would be the last of the season and they would need to last. On this day the deer had stood on their hind legs and picked all the apples they could reach. So they came to ask for help. I shook all the limbs I could reach and it was clear there were no more down low to shake loose. So it was tree climbing time. Something reserved for raccoons, bears, and those rare people who lived outside of the established ideas of things. Up I went climbing to about the middle of the tree. As I shook the limbs the tree let go of some of it's apples while still holding on to others for later. The deer looked up and watched as the apples fell, some even bonking them. That was all fine. They would always wait till I was safety out of the tree before they would eat. While climbing down my foot got caught in an awkward sort of manner. I flipped upside down for a moment while looking for a better approach to this tree descending thing. Bear Medicine I thought as I slowly moved and shifted my weight to get a better perch. The deer watched as I figured it out. When I finally landed on the ground the doe tapped her front foot on the ground and nodded a big Thank You. I said thank you back for asking and walked back to the porch where Henry was of course waiting to say how much that was his 'favorite thing'. The deer looked about as they enjoyed the apples.
All was well in our community on that peaceful day. Humans, Dogs, Deer and Trees, all joining together and offering our unique talents and gifts. We all had something to share. It all wove together with grace and harmony. A place to share.