Stopping you in your tracks

There are days when you run across something that mesmerizes you. It hits you with such power and force that you’re stopped where you are. It could be a quote, a piece of music, or even a simple thought or idea. Many people experience this when they turn the last page of a book like The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Others feel this way when they hear Bach, Mozart, or even The Beatles.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about movies Jaws and Star Wars. Movie-goers flocked to see both movies when they came out in 1975 and 1977. We talk about it less now, but movies still have the ability to dazzle us.

It can be magical beauty too. You take a peek at The Grand Canyon, Yosemite or Acadia National Park and it’s awe-inspiring. The majesty and size are too big for one person to fathom.

Turning the corner

I had this happen to me about ten years ago at the Shenandoah National Park, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. My wife, our young kids, and I spent a few days in the park. We drove the scenic Skyline Drive and hiked a small fraction of the 500 miles worth of trails.

On our second day there, we had a full day planned. I got up early and went for a slow jog on one of the trails. I had run a mile or two and was making my way back. I turned a corner and came upon three deer. There were a doe and two fawns. White-tailed does typically give birth to their fawns in the late spring and early summer. The fawns couldn’t have been too old. When they saw me, they were cautious, but more interested in feasting on the leaves and twigs.

Gone like that

I stood and watched them. They stood less than 6 feet away from me. I felt like I could’ve taken a couple baby steps and reached out and touched them. I had the deer to my right. To my left, I had the misty mountains rising up like they were reaching out to touch the puffy clouds. I reached for my phone, but, for once in my life, I had gone running without it. All I could do was take in the scene.

The mother must have feasted for a good five minutes. At one point, she raised her head and motioned to the fawns. Like that, the three of them stepped deeper into the woods. I stood still for a few more minutes. I hoped they might return. Unfortunately, they were out of sight in no time.

Left speechless

When I returned, I tried to explain to my kids the cool thing I had come across. However, I had no actual proof. My story sounded contrived. “Sure dad, eating out of your hand. Sure, we hear you.”

I had the same loss of words recently when I came across something that Kurt Vonnegut wrote in his 2005 book A Man Without a Country. In the book, he touches on the importance of humor, modern technology, politics, and the human need for connection. 

Vonnegut wrote in his book: “You meet saints everywhere. They can be anywhere. They are people behaving decently in an indecent society.”

I’m not sure I understand the full meaning of what Vonnegut was saying. I think I catch his drift though. I think it means that even in the face of challenge and adversity, the human spirit thrives. The presence of goodness continues to flourish.

Good people, doing good things

We live in a crazy upside down world. There’s crime and hurt. One day there’s catastrophic rain and flooding in Texas, killing more than 110 adults and children. War continues to rage in the Ukraine. Peace in Iran and Israel seems to change depending on the wind.

Still kindness, integrity, and decency reign supreme. There are still people who give selflessly and reach out with a heart full of compassion and empathy. Yes, I prefer to look for the good. Yes, there are saints everywhere.

We just need to look for them.