Bear Lullabies

I have been blessed to see many black bears and brown bears while hiking through the backcountry, or to find traces of them in meadows, their scat hinting of their presence. I usually have my dogs with me, wearing their bells so wildlife knows we’re near, so it’s always at a distance. Far enough to be enchanted, not frightened.

But it wasn’t until I met Ramble and Bramble this June at Earthfire Institute that I truly understood their presence. Standing upright, they towered over me by two feet, yet their gaze held a softness, a spirit of kinship that’s hard to put into words. Looking into their eyes without fear, breathing the same air, catching the earthy scent of their fur, feeling the adrenaline and awe was a kind of quiet majesty that left a lasting imprint.

Since then, they’ve stayed with me. Whenever the conversation allows, I find myself sharing the story of meeting them. And as winter approached and they prepared to hibernate, I thought about them often, checking in with Earthfire staff for updates, wondering how they were settling in for the cold months. They’ve become a potent reminder of our connection to the wildness of this planet, its magic, its cycles, its seasons; and winter, a time of going within, finding stillness, gathering strength for spring’s return.

This time of year, my body wants to slow down. My mind wants quiet. I want warmth, closeness, simple moments with the people I love. Yet it’s also the season when life gets busy with celebrations and traditions. Holding Ramble and Bramble in my thoughts helps me remember the deeper rhythms beneath it all, the cycles we share with the natural world. And when life feels overwhelming, I picture them, tucked into their winter beds, listening to bear lullabies until the spring comes again.