The world needs more...

Bears.  The world needs more bears.

This was a conversation had with good friends last night over a drink and Shepherd's Pie at a local pub.  Everyone know pubs have the best meat pies and if you don't know what I am talking about you are either missing part of your life or you are a vegetarian.  To each his own, even if you are missing out.

Where was I?  Oh right, the world needs more bears.  This came about over a discussion on what you should and should not need to get a license in order to do legally.  My little group last night was made up of intelligent (not all the times, we all have our pretty moments thanks) women who have successful lives, families and friends.  What is it about bears?  Well, if there were more bears maybe the not so smart people would wander into the woods and the bears would take care of the problem for us.  That lead to a discussion of Philmont and then we just went all over the place from there.  Our conversations are often stream of consciousness so there is no telling where a simple topic might head.  Back to the bears.  Before someone gets all upset that we meant bears to literally eat people, really I take it to mean 'Bears' to separate the men from the boys, or women from the girls.

My great Aunt had a huggy bear on her bed that always was there for a hug.  My brother had a Wooly Bear (admittedly I don't know how to spell Wooly) that hugged him as a child and mom still has in the spare room.  I had a stuffed black bear that the same great Aunt gave me and I gave to the kiddo when he was young; yes, I still have it.  The tall one used Pooh Bear as his huggy friend growing up - we still have a statue of him.   I am not a touchy person, never have been and don't think I ever will be, but even I will admit sometimes a bear hug from a loved one makes all the difference.  It's called a bear hug for a reason.

I live my life by the saying Sometimes You Eat the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Eats You.  This is how I get through those very rough times, trials of life, work, kids, faith, you name it.  There are days when I am convinced I am bear food and others when I have a new bear coat, boots and purse.   The Bear is always a part of my life, challenging me to go one step further, knocking me down at times, giving me something to strive for, a challenge to 'eat' (rhymes with beat); the bear is always there.

So yes, the world needs more bears.  Bears in the 'woods' for crowd thinning, Bear hugs to get through life, Bears to challenge us.  Remember friends, Sometimes You Eat the Bear and Sometimes the Bear Eats You.  Either way, we need more bears.