Close encounters
His head lifted from the ground, eyes wide with curiosity as I turned the corner to meet his gaze. Surprised to see each other, we both stood there, stunned, almost in disbelief of the moment. Before either of us knew what was happening my friends rounded the corner. The first screamed in shock as he turned around and ran, the second following suit. Then it was back to the beginning, my eyes meeting his, mere inches away from one another, seeming to recognize each other as one in the same. I was standing face to face with a young bull moose.
We were having a moment of miraculous meaning. I had never seen this creature before, and he looked as though I was the first human he had come into contact with. But something strange happened in that moment. We instantly reached an understanding of each other that transcended the gap between species. He knew that I meant him no harm, and I knew he wanted nothing more than to be left alone. As I continued on my path past him towards the river, he followed at a calculated distance. Waiting to see what I would do before he took further action. Upon realizing that I was not there for the water, he broke off and pursued the flowing snow melt.
In this moment with the moose, I was presented with a unique gift of nature. Understanding. The uncanny ability of earth to understand you on the deepest level through one of its creative creatures. I didn’t know at the time how dangerous moose are. If I had, I’m sure I would have reacted like my friends and run screaming from the scene, like a little girl. But at the time, I couldn’t look away, his eyes held a peace within them that I have been in search for ever since. He knew, simply, why he was put on this earth. He did not question it, he did not stray. He was given a purpose, and he pursued it with everything he was given. That’s what instinct is.