Deer in the Headlights

The deer bolted from the roadside bushes and was in front of me in a snap. As his frame filled my headlights field of vision, I pounded my brake pedal, felt the seatbelt restraint me as I surged forward, and whipped my head hard to the left. At 45-50 mph downhill, on wet pavement, I knew there’d be an impact. As the nose of my car plunged low, his nose and contorting body were right at my front end as I slammed to a stop. Then, to my utter surprise, he scampered away into the darkness…

When I caught my breath, I got out to check the damage to my front end, convinced I’d hit him hard. Yet, I could find no impact damage except for some small scratches on the nose, probably from his horns. I still don’t know how there was no impact or how my car stayed centered in its lane during a panic stop under those conditions. It all seems to defy the laws of physics.

On a lighter note, when I got home, I discovered the “close encounter” had launched groceries in the backseat all over. Fortunately, nothing was broken, but two pints of blueberries were “liberated” under both front seats. Despite my best rescue efforts, I fully expect to find at least one petrified blueberry some time next spring!

While I have innumerable reasons to give thanks, this Thanksgiving I am particularly thankful to my God who generously shares with me his love, grants me breath and a heartbeat, and who may have suspended some physical laws for a few seconds on my behalf, when I was at risk on a dark and lonely road earlier this week.