Mama Bear

My daughter had a bear and her two cubs at the back of her property. We watched them from the back deck when they were around. The Mama was just eating and lumbering through the field. When the babies would saunter off she would do a quick check in and continue on. That’s what we do, eat and check in!

My mom, loves to take care of people. She doesn’t know how to be mean, angry or aggressive. She is passive and does all the mom things right.

I’ve known my mom the longest and I can tell you, she can be a Mama bear. When my mom gets mad, her eyes get bigger, her shoulders come back and she gets taller. Of course this is hindsight from a younger point of view, I haven’t seen her stormy in years.

The first time I can remember, I was maybe seven, we lived in a three story apartment building. There was a green space outside all of the kids played in. A new family had moved in and they had a sixteen year old visitor for the weekend. She didn’t seem to have much patience for us kids. She cornered me on the stairs alone. She grabbed me and held me against the wall threatening to throw me down the stairs. I got away and took off into our apartment. I got the information out in one sobby breath to my mild mannered mom. Just like Superman a transformation took place, she was out the door and on the stairs before the girl had barely gotten another step from our little episode.

Mom wasn’t much bigger than the girl, but her emotions were! The girl had an attitude, but mom made time stand still with a tirade of possible consequences for this steely teen. The teen got angry and my mother knew she had no more right to touch her, than the girl had to touch me. Mom didn’t flinch or back down, she barked orders at the girl and the fight left the girls face as mom then marched with her to the hosts of this young lady.

That is how Mama Bears are created. They reside in us and appear when needed. Just make sure that your Mama Bear is just. She should be used for only imminent danger! That is all she should surface for, the rest of the time just forage and eat!