It was a blissful Sunday morning. We were eating breakfast and I looked up to gaze upon the beauty of God's creation, another type of beauty of of God's creation with a bit of a jog pace moved along the gravel road of our neighbors and into their open wildflower pasture. A bear! Not Yogi. Not Boo Boo but hopefully a Baylor Bear. In the twelve years we have owned this home we have never, ever, nope not once, ever have seen a bear. Oh, there was that bobcat in 2015 that used the front yard as a cut through and there was a bull who wiggled his way out of an opening in the fence, came across the road and stood there until I recognized his existence. That happened when I heard a snorting sound very close to me. Turned to look and there he was moving toward me. I believe I almost ran to the front porch but it was probably more of a brisk walk. Several years ago a pair of deer passed through and one turkey. Other than these mentioned we've had racoons, chipmunks, squirrels and snakes. But, on the seventh day of June in the year of our Lord 2026, I saw a bear. He seemed to be moving along and looked back down the road and continued to make his way over toward our across the way neighbors, who has kiddos and dogs. I texted them and Roy texted our neighbors above us. I tried, really tried to take a picture but I was so rattled and so nervous, I couldn't think fast enough to get that phone ready. That moment of excitement over in those short seconds but the lingering of the "what if "started drifting into my thoughts. Not the what if we had been outside but the what if that bear is waiting for us to come outside. Is he lurking in the shadows? Roy still needed to get some food out to The Feral Fam and he postponed the usual time. They began to congregate around the backdoor. I felt the need to make an announcement to the Fam that Sunday breakfast might become Sunday brunch. Finally, cause he would have been out there sooner if it was up to him. He went out and got breakfast served. Meanwhile I was on bear patrol with the security cameras and going window to window checking out the situation.
Because of the attention to detail in this reconnaissance mission, I began humming then breaking into full voice singing, The Bear Went Over the Mountain to help guide this wayward bear on his way. Then, I wondered if Baylor University had sent the bear to see where those Alumni By Choice donations were as well as noticing the car with the Baylor sticker was gone. Wow, if this bear was from Baylor, Sic 'em Bears, he did a good job getting my attention.
I also asked Roy if he had recently made fun of any bald men? I knew I hadn't but in case he had, was this just like the Bible? The story of Elisha being made fun of by some guys and a bear comes to rip them all up into pieces. No, we did not do that.
The Teen Girl Squad Camp Song? Did the bear know I needed a fresh laugh over old funnies?
And the chumbly wumbly bear came a tumblin' down!
Did he sell beans?
Lord no!
Did he sell eggs?
Lord no!
But he couldn't... so he stapled it down!"
I don't know, but only the fans of Teen Girl Squad will get the above reference. What I do know is this, it is difficult to get ready for church and be on bear patrol. It is comforting to know that all of The Feral Fam have been accounted for.
Alas, after this visual bear encounter I cannot say if I know or not know the mystery of the universe...Does a bear poop in the woods? No definitive answer on our part.
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