Listen Carefully, Please!

“Jeepers!” Anne whispered. “Do you see what I see?” David affirmed with another whisper that noted the adventure had started. The two young friends stood perfectly still as the Great Buck did the same. He was magnificent and his large antlers made him look even more impressive as they sparkled in the sunlight. Time passed as each member of the trio pondered the situation. Anne desired to say something, but presumed it was unwise to do so. David wanted to approach the buck, but restrained the impulse. And the Buck, who was aware of his role in this event, strategized how the next step should unfold, and then, took action. Without any announcement of his intentions, the Great Buck flicked his tail, took two steps forward, and boldly planted himself in the center of the trail. His movement demonstrated both strength and dignity at the same time. Although the children sensed no hostility from the remarkable animal, they both were aware that they were in the presence of a very powerful being. Controlling their desire for closer contact was not easy. Anne and David were eager to be face to face with the Great Buck. As this desire was manifesting, they both experienced a fleeting image of standing beside the Buck and stroking his strong, muscular neck. The vision was so strong that David turned to Anne for validation. Before he could ask the question, she was nodding her head. Fortified by their mutual experience, David and Anne both took a deep breath and slowly moved toward the beautiful animal. The Great Buck remained still as they approached, pleased that they had received his visual message. The moment was riveting. The children were actualizing the vision that they had received. The Great Buck standing between them seemed to be enjoying the attention. As David stroked the neck of the majestic animal, the desire for communication overwhelmed him. “Thank you, Sir, for allowing us to approach you. We’ve wanted to do this for a very long time.” “Oh, yes,” added Anne. “This is a dream come true for us. We are very grateful that you invited us to approach.” Anne hesitated and then checked to see if her perception of the situation was correct. “You did invite us to approach, didn’t you?” “Indeed, I did,” responded the Great Buck. “I too have wanted to connect with you, and today seemed to be the day to explore the opportunity. I am very grateful that you were able to understand my visual communication. And I hope that you are able to hear my thoughts now.” “Yes, we do!” replied David. “You hear him too, don’t you, Anne?” Her response was exuberant. “Yes, I can hear you. I don’t understand how this is happening, but it is just wonderful. We are so happy to talk with you. You understand our language! This is so fascinating!” “I understand many languages. We are not limited to only one; however, yours is one with which I am particularly familiar. I am also able to listen to your unspoken words, as well as your spoken words. Either process is amenable, so please choose what is easiest for you.” David’s curiosity got the best of him. “So, you can hear my unspoken words?” His unspoken question was quickly answered. “Yes, I did hear your question. As you can see, this is easily accomplished.” The Great Buck turned toward Anne. “And you, Young Miss, did you hear the unspoken question that was asked?” “I’m not sure! I heard or at least I thought I heard these words, ‘So you can hear my unspoken words?’ Was that you, David? Were you thinking those words?” David’s exuberant reaction startled the Buck. “I’m sorry, Sir! I didn’t mean to unsettle you, but this is so exciting that my joyfulness just leapt out of me. I knew this was possible and now it is finally happening. We’re actually communicating with each other! And Anne and I are learning that we can communicate in a different way as well. This is really terrific! I apologize for my excitement. I was a bit rowdy.” “Your excitement brings me great happiness. I have pondered such an encounter for a very long time. Like you, I believed it was possible for this interaction to transpire; however, among my kind, there is great concern about your kind. Previous interactions were unpleasant and memories of those experiences perpetuate the concern. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but our kind is afraid of your kind.” The words spoken did not indicate an attitude of disrespect, but they were difficult to hear. David and Anne understood the circumstances to which the Great Buck was referring. They understood why his kind was afraid of humans. The sadness that filled their hearts jolted the Buck. He wondered if he should continue, and then the children moved closer, reassuring him that they were prepared to hear whatever he had to say. The gesture of reassurance inspired him to continue. “Today when I saw the two of you in the distance, the desire to meet with you surged within me. For some time now, I have observed you from afar. You are children of goodness. I see how you address the residents in our community and your tenderheartedness touches me very deeply. You treat all the species in our settlement with respect and compassion. Because of your exemplary behavior towards us, I discerned that you were humans who could be trusted. And the reassurance that you just offered me confirms my intuition. “Before you arrived, I positioned myself on the path so that an encounter could happen and indeed it has come to be. I am most grateful that you received and accepted my invitation for a conversation. Dear New Friends, there is much we need to discuss.”