Shedding Antlers

Did you know that bucks shed their antlers every year? The antlers drop off this time of year and regrow, each year a little bigger. I am boggled. Surely there is a scientific explanation for how the antlers grow back into the same majestic shape, but to me this is an avenue to awe. 

Yesterday afternoon between rainstorms, I was on the phone outside catching up with an old friend. There was a lot to talk about, and our conversation ranged from everyday stuff to finding connection to the world and living in a way that is beyond a rational "get things done" mindset. It also turns out that she is facing a fairly serious health issue. 

Right after saying goodbye, I looked down and found a freshly shed antler. It has a wonderful weight and feel - soft, smooth, and gently ridged. I felt certain that the antler was a message for her. I showed it to our reclusive wizened neighbor, and he reports that a found antler is a gift of power. The antler surely came from one of our 2 bucks - either Rumple or Stiltskin - and is made of apples and grass (and my lilac bush!). I am not saying that I think she will be necessarily cured because I found an antler, but that the possibility for healing exists. We belong to this great big world, and there may be more to the story than our rational minds know.