Family: Why we Like Deer in Heidi's Nursery

Husband's childhood photos always remind me of a fawn--his big brown eyes, always-tanned California complexion, and long limbs. I was frequently called "bambi eyes" too as a little girl so I've always thought our babies would be deer-like. (Watch, now we'll get a red-head!)

Lately I'm not so sure if I'm choosing our "deer" nursery theme based solely on the fact that our babies will probably have brown eyes, skin, and hair. I like to think I have deeper reasons.

1. The Bambi Story

The Bambi story was important when I was tiny--it was one of the first movies I saw, one of the first books we studied in Kindergarten, and a frequent family allusion. It was perhaps my earliest understanding of motherhood. Everyone remembers the Disney moment when Bambi's mother is shot and killed. I remember grasping, in my five-year-old's mind, the idea that the mother deer voluntarily gave her life to save Bambi. And being told by my parents (trying to explain it to me) that that's what mothers do.

The original Bambi story is much darker than the Disney version. It's Austrian, and was originally written in German. Flower, Thumper, and friends don't play as large a role as does Bambi being hunted by HE, spending days and nights in fear, always walking downwind and running at the sound of crows cawing. The sacrificial role of Bambi's mother is the same, and continues in the sequel, Bambi's Children, in which Bambi and Faline accept the sacrificial roles of parents in taking care of their twin fawns.

Both the books and the film consistently show the form and function of family, especially of the mother. Bambi's world is dangerous, and his family protects him, first his mother, then in her absence, his father. The story's climax is really when Bambi and Faline inherit the same roles.

2. The Biblical References--these are two of the best verses ever!

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights.--Psalm 18.33

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you Oh, God.--Psalm 42.1

I've heard some really good preachers mock the recent "As the Deer" song that came out, since an actually thirsting deer would definitely NOT be able to sing sweet little songs like that, as it would be near death, but that's a whole nother blog.

So other than that our baby has a good chance of looking fawnlike, I want our nursery to remind us about what it means to be a parent, and what it means to rely solely on the promises of God.

And, plus, deer are just beautiful. Heidi just kicked a few times, so I think she agrees.

Deer Stretched Wall Art by Avalisa at PillowsandThrows.com