NATURE AWARENESS
DEER EARS

"Running Deer, before we talk about Nature Awareness Deer Ears, would you be willing to tell us how you got your name? Many people have asked me about it."
"Well, Barbara, I think you know that my name used to be Rhonda and that I grew up in a large city."
"That's a long way from where you live now. How is it possible that "Rhonda" became "Running Deer"?

"That is a long story, Barbara. There is a lot to explain. It took me many months and years to become comfortable in the natural world. It was a great adventure, each day could be a story in itself. It is hard to know where to start."
"Please just talk about your name, Running Deer. We will save your other stories for another time."

"OK, I will try that. Most people know that I moved to the woods with my husband, Moon Bird. Did you know that his name used to be Marco? That's another story too. Anyway, it took me a long time to get used to the forest. I must admit that at first I was afraid of many things--even the deer! Can you believe it?

In time I lost my fear of them. I would spend hours and sometimes whole days watching the deer. I never got too close. I let them have their space. They did not seem to mind me being around. I loved my time with the deer and felt very close to them.

I often watched them feeding in the meadow. The deer would notice the slightest sound in the forest. They were not concerned with the normal sounds like bird song or the wind blowing in the trees. It was the sound that did not fit in which caught their attention. The snap of a twig would cause them to lift up their head and twitch their nature awareness deer ears. A bird alarm would do the same thing. They would listen for the sound of danger and sniff the air.

I learned that the deer sense of hearing is very, very sharp. It is what helps them to stay alive. Of course their sense of smell is very good too. I became more interested in hearing because I found that I could hear some of the same sounds that they could. I started to practice using my own Nature Awareness Deer Ears. In time my sense of hearing improved. I can never hear as good as a deer. What I can do, though, is to use my sense of hearing to help me become more aware of the natural world.

I loved the deer so much and spent so much time with them, that I began to act like them. I walked with them, used my Nature Awareness Deer Ears, and pretended to eat with them. The most fun thing is to run with the deer. I love to run, and when the deer let me run along with them it is a special time for me. So people started calling me Running Deer."

"That's a great story. I am curious about something you said. How did you practice using Nature Awareness Deer Ears?"

"It was easy, Barbara. I spent a lot of time sitting in one spot with my eyes closed or wearing a blindfold."

"What does that have to do with your ears?"

"If I take away my eyes, it helps me to focus on using my ears. I listen for sounds that are far away or close, loud or soft, natural or made by people, and so on. It is all a matter of practice. Anyone can do it!"

"Running Deer you did a wonderful job learning nature awareness deer ears. Does it really work?"

"Does it work? Did you know that while we were talking four different species of birds flew by, a hawk was calling from the ridge, the wind picked up speed a little bit, Moon Bird split three pieces of wood behind the cabin, a predator approached from the north, and two rabbits bolted from cover near the edge of the woods? I heard all that."

"Wow, it works."
"Sure does."

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