Bears Meet Man

At the trail head, a hiker slowly stretched his legs, readying himself for the steep climb up Falls Creek. On his back was one those water packs from which to draw water while moving and sweating. He was a physical type, aiming for the peaks high above. I doubt he and I would have much contact, for I slowly made my way, examined the ground and early flowers while I walked; he would move without pause, blood pumping, heart racing, gasping for air until he stood on the top of the mountain. He lived in time; I just lived in the moment. I waited for him to go on , for I wanted some space and solitude, in order to feel the colors, sounds, and sweet aroma of Nature's awakening. Unlike the hiker, this adventure would not reach it's burning pitch at the top; each step was a moment of desire where I connected to the world at different levels: insect, plant, tree, rock, bird, animal, water, and cloud. And Surprises could happen at the very beginning too. It seemed that when the hurried hiker plodded through the woods, a ripple of sound moved ahead of him and alerted the birds or squirrels and even a bear or two. I moved slowly along the trail, kneeled down to view the underside of a plant, when something happened, as things do--rapidly and without pause--the presence of two black bears broke the silence; they had been hiding behind a boulder, but now rushed out and away from me. They were as surprised as I was surprised by them; one went down and the other went up; but I kept walking to increase my distance. Then, once I was safely above on a small hill, I turned and watched the mother bear below. She paced back and forth, smelled the ground and looked for the cub. They had probably been foraging for food, waiting for the fish to return to the streams. The hiker, unknowingly had driven the bears behind the boulder, where they waited for him to pass. Then I had come along quietly, slowly, giving the bears a sense that danger had passed. My timing had been perfect for this meeting, although a little too close for comfort. And interestingly, the climax for this experience had come at the beginning of the walk. The top of the mountain would have to wait.