Deer Family,

We have a wandering herd of mule deer in our neighborhood. They seem right at home, browsing on all the lovely trees and plants we humans hope will survive their munching. It is a losing battle because we never know what they are going to like. Although there are a number of plant species deer do not typically prefer, I think it depends on their mood in the moment. After all, how do they know if they like a plant without eating it in the first place? 

Nevertheless, we try to deer-proof our front yard by listening to the experts. But even when we planted a yew tree, because all parts of the yew are toxic and unpalatable to deer, the young bucks still destroyed the tree by going to battle—antler to branch. The yew was stripped of its foliage and limbs torn from the trunk. Poor yew. 

I wonder about the buck’s mindset. From a natural behavior standpoint, bucks use rubbing against a tree to remove the velvet covering their antlers, to mark their territory, and potentially to engage in dominance displays during mating season. They really don’t think about destroying someone’s garden. Anyway, they were here first. It is best for us to coexist.

The other day I stepped out our front door to be greeted by five mule deer lounging in our garden. They barely looked at me and chewed their cuds composed of neighborhood flora. I sat on the front step to hang with my deer ‘hood’, like having a beer with neighbors. Not much conversation, but I like to think we had an agreement to just be in that moment, sharing life on planet Earth. Having a deer with neighbors?

We have much to learn from each other whether a mule deer, a human neighbor, or the other life forms with which we communicate. We can never control another’s behavior. If we were able to do that, the planet would be unsuitable for most living creatures. Ego-driven whims of a human mind are not conducive to supporting ecological harmony. When we dissolve the illusion of one-species dominance, we recognize our humble place on the planet and maybe learn to love one another.

Why are we here, anyway? I am often asked about the creation story in Buddhism. I simply reply, “Buddhists have no such story. We seem to be here now, so we might as well get along.”