Sometimes when the bear is on top of you, you fight back. Sometimes when the bear is on top of you, you play dead. The trick is knowing when to do which of those things.
My mother had an irrational fear of bears. I say irrational, because when asked she would confess she had never seen nor been confronted by a bear in the wild. But if she saw one on TV or even a picture of one in a book or magazine, Ma would make a noise of alarm that was strange sort of strangled yelp.
No, she didn’t like bears at all. Ma also didn’t like bullies and people that used their power or positions to throw their weight against people weaker than they are.
When it came to those sorts of bears, Ma would definitely tell you it was time to fight like hell.
If you haven’t seen many columns from me lately, it isn’t because I am playing dead. I’m gathering my thoughts. Words are the arrows in my quiver and I’m trying to pick my shots as it were.
There are lots of bears about these days, but a few well placed words from all of us might run them off..
