Things I had time to consider as I fell from a tree I climbed:

• The wind seemed very sharp
• The ground looked so soft from up high
• The branch that I thought was interesting looking from below was not nearly as interesting looking when I got to it
• No amount of arm flapping would cause me to fly
• Though I certainly tried
• Why do I not get to fly?
• I do not think birds should get to fly when most of the rest of us do not, it is strange and does not seem fair
• But birds do not have front legs or paws or fur, so maybe flying was their trade-off?
• The size of the sky does not seem to change while falling
• The size of the ground does definitely seem to change while falling
• Moments of tremendous unease seem to last a very long time, which is, again, a very strange and not very fair thing that happens no matter what, always
• When moments like that stretch out, I am forced to linger on the thoughts and actions that made the moment difficult to begin with
• And I have to, in a way, relive an awful thing while the awful thing is happening for what feels like a forever
• I do not like that and it does not seem fair
• Because even if I get all the time that is possible to have to think about one particular thing, I will be unable to change it or alter it or even really stop it from clouding my thoughts, so I am being forced by some unknown thing to sit and stare at myself inside me forever even as the ground gets closer and closer to my snout
• The number of leaves I would likely fall onto
• Which looked to be about ten?
• Which was not enough leaves to constitute a safe or even mildly comfortable landing
• That maybe trees do not like me?
• Which is why I am often falling from them or things on them are falling from them and landing on me?
• A very brief, fleeting moment of nothing right before my paws endure the shock of beginning my landing
• Which was actually nice
• And very relaxing

I am a bear.

If you would like to try being a bear, why not read some of the bear adventures available on this very site? 

For any questions or comments directed at Bear, feel free to write to him using this email: justasinglebear@gmail.com

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