I’m still wondering about the bear
Not sure when I knew it had to be a bear. One day it was there, with a deep rumbly “Hello, I’m your inner strength”. And oh boy did he have stories! Not just for “I’m still wondering”, but for Queen of mud and time (Volume 3 in the Werifesteria Elemental Series) and the carousel of bear stories that ignited and exploded like a series of firework. The mind is both unexpected and amazing sometimes. Bear stories. And there’s a lot of them. Old and new. And bear expressions – I might go full geek in a heartbeat. The bear lives in our lines, in our speach – our statements and replies, vividly painted to life all around us every day. Maybe as a bear hug? A mother bear epithet or ‘as busy as a hibernating bear’ to describe that lazy-ass friend of yours.
“Are you afraid of me?” the bear half-growled, not one too gentle in his voice.
“Times change,” I explained. “We don’t call you Honey-paw anymore. People are noisy and you keep away. The fear is not what it used to be. These days you’re a cuddly Teddy bear or made into a dumb animal on a TV show.” I hoped I didn’t offend him with this piece of information, but times had changed. I felt I needed to be clear about that – not that I saw either of these modern interpretations in “I’m still wondering”. It was the ancient bear. Somewhere along the winding road of history bear stories had drastically altered. He wasn’t the feared predator (even if he should still be) or the berserker old folktales and sagas exampled again and again.
“You’re right. You people make a lot of noise, and not much sense,” he grumbled. “Every time my paw imprints the ground the Great Mother greets me. Every time I draw a breath the Great Father greets me. Remember this. Noise is just noise.”
The bear had spoken. There was no judgment in his tone, just facts. I bowed my head in respect. He turned and strode into the needled depth, leaving only the whisper of his advice.
And isn’t it true what Solöga quotes the bear: “Love is the key to recovery.”
A bear hug,
Anneli