Discuss: Seeing Deer

My photos are used to illustrate all kinds of ideas, concepts, and stories that have little personal meaning to me. In reading this piece, I found myself standing in the book-store on the verge of tears. My wife asked what was wrong. I showed her the article. “That’s your photo,” she said. “Yeah. Read this.” We sat on the floor, legs tucked in, while people walked around us. She read while I re-read it. Heavy. We thumbed through the magazine in silence. Words seemed inappropriate. 

The responses here are proof of the quality of Mr. Childs’ writing. We can all relate and have had similar experiences. I too have been driving the back roads for years and have been lucky so far to not hit a deer. Guess I better knock on wood. Thanks to the editors of Orion for selecting my image to illustrate the piece, and for producing such a fine publication. 
–Jerry Dodrill

I find the story moving in the sense that all that involves the rhythms of life around us is moving…and even spiritual. As a fellow lover of wildlife, to me it is not tragic.  It is not an encounter between two “animals”, man and deer. It is a part of our current ecological and cultural reality. All the more reason for us to be sensitive to our obligations as mankind to exercise as wise a stewardship over nature as possible. That we feel moved and at times chagrined to be a part of the death of an animal speaks to our humanity. To overdramatize it speaks to our tendency toward foolish decisions that only disturb the natural world only more.