I'll never forget that evening. It began like any other, my husband driving us along a local road to a restaurant in Mill Valley, as we had done many times before. As we approached the downtown area, the road narrows and there is a steep hill with many trees and bushes on one side. It was dark, so all the cars had their lights on. As we approached a curve in the road, I noticed something in the headlights of the oncoming car. As our car approached the other car, which had slowed down, it was clear that it was in the process of rolling over something. To my horror, it was a deer, a young buck with 2 straight horns sticking about 4 inches up off the top of his head. In that split second when I realized what I was looking at, I also processed the fact that the deer had his head tilted back and was looking straight into our car and directly into my eyes! I screamed and my hands flew to my eyes, to try to undo the horror I had seen. As we slowly passed by the scene, my husband clearly spoke to me, "Do Reiki for his spirit, he needs you."

Ah, yes, Reiki! Even I had forgotten it in that terrible moment! I began sending Reiki immediately to the scene, the situation, the spirit of the deer, the transition (that it was quick) and also to my husband's and my own wounded hearts. My eyes felt sealed shut, and my hands felt as if they began to radiate heat many feet out from my physical body. Emotionally, I felt a sudden confusion and bewilderment from the deer. I wasn't sure the deer knew that he had been hit, or even that he was making his transition. It was as if his spirit still stood in the road, transfixed and wide-eyed, not able to move on. I immediately began to send affirmations of "clarity" and "peace" to the deer's spirit, and imagined that he could easily and quickly travel to the light. After a few moments, the heat in my hands and emotions within my heart began to subside: it had been a very quick, but very intense Reiki treatment!

Somehow, my husband and I were able to collect ourselves and participate in the dinner (which was my sister's 30th birthday). On our drive home, we again discussed the terrible scene (of which all traces had been removed as we drove by again). I asked my husband, as we drove home, "Why does it seem that I'm always a witness to wild animals losing their lives to cars? It's like I'm always at the wrong place at the wrong time." My husband replied, "Or are you at the just the right place?" I pondered this as we continued our trip home. Yes, I knew that sometimes, when we open ourselves to become channels of healing for others, we are presented with incredible opportunities to help others. Sometimes these experiences may be extremely challenging for our own healing path, but over the years I have learned to just trust Reiki. I knew Reiki had helped the spirit of the deer to pass on. Still, how was I going to sleep tonight with the terrible image of carnage still in my mind whenever I closed my eyes?

After we got home, we took the dog out front for his nightly "pee pee" in the yard before sleep. Usually only one of us accompanies him, but for some reason, this particular night, we were both out on our front walk, waiting for the dog. Suddenly my husband said, "You won't believe this: look!" I looked where he was pointing. It was a truly amazing sight; I had to blink my eyes to make sure I wasn't imagining it. Directly across the street, in the front yard of our neighbor's home, a young male deer stood, quietly looking at us. His 2 straight horns stuck about 4 inches up off the top of his head! After we spent a moment staring at each other, he quietly turned away and walked slowly down the center of the street, until the mist of the evening caused his dark shape to disappear into the distance.

We have lived in this house for over four years, and have never seen a deer in our neighborhood, much less on our street, much less on our neighbor's lawn! This was quite an experience!! I was speechless. My husband said simply, "He came to say thank you." Yes, this felt right. I have seen many times before, that somehow other animals know and understand that you have helped their cousins with Reiki; amazingly, "word gets out" among animalkind. Also, I knew that this special visit was a gift of healing to my heart. As I lay my head down to sleep that night, I felt hope inside my heart for the wild ones that must somehow live among us. My eyes closed and the only image I saw was that beautiful, peaceful deer, full of grace and life, standing just a few feet away from me. Again, thank you Reiki.