‘Bambi’

As always my blogs are about connections. This one is tinged with a little sadness. I do however feel the need to write about it, the connection between nature and life.

I like to think I have been fairly lucky so far, in avoiding wildlife who have no internal navigational skills when crossing busy roads, until now.

It was over a week ago when driving back home from a shopping trip that my heartbreaking incident occurred.

It was dark and raining and I wasn’t going fast, I was driving downhill and approaching a roundabout when something jumped from the trees onto the road and I had no time to react. I knew it felt too big to be a fox and my immediate thought was that I’d hit a dog.

My first reaction is always to pray and cry (usually simultaneously) this was no exception. I have to date killed two pigeons when they flew into my windscreen, although not at the same time I hasten to add.
The first time, I felt wherever I went pigeons were following me. I imagined there was some secret code in which they sent messages in pigeon speak to alert their community that the ‘Pigeon Killer’ was in the vicinity.

However, this was different. I pulled over in a bus lay-by and began to climb up the hill. I sobbed at the thought that I may have killed someone’s beloved pet and my prayers and tears became more frantic with each step.

As I moved nearer I thought at first I had hit a badger until I saw clearly; a gentle, tiny, deer.

I felt sick and sad and everything in between. I knew logically I had not had time to brake and perhaps if I had, she would be dying in agony instead of the lifeless body I was staring at.

So, I sobbed (loudly) and prayed again.

For her, for my forgiveness and for the fact I had just killed Bambi.

It has troubled me for days and so I did the one thing I hope, to honour her:

I think I just need to avoid Disney for a while!