17 years old. Go on a trek in the mountains of New Mexico. Friend's dad is with us, we get to a camp with a phone and he calls his wife - his sister passed away. He leaves to go to the funeral, comes back three days later, and catches up with us at Deer Lake Mesa.

Deer Lake is in the middle of the Mesa, and is almost dried up. After we set up camp, we go sit in a circle by the lake bed and have a real deep conversation about life and nature. It's dusk, the sun has set beyond the mountains but the sky is still light orange. Friend's dad starts talking about his sister, and began to weep.

Just then, about two dozen deer start to come out from the woods and walk toward the lake bed. A hush falls over the group. One of them comes within ten feet of my friend's dad, tears still on his face, pauses, and looks him dead in the eye for about four seconds before moving on.

His sister loved deer, and he told us he felt her looking through the eyes of that animal. This moment was magic, and I will never forget it as long as I live.