Do you know how hard it is NOT to run from a bear when you come face to face? I got some practice with that this week. Stay tuned below.

What a wild week it has been! The first snow, bears, a woolly storm that kicked up volcanic ash everywhere, salmon thronging the rivers, eagles and gulls shrieking in delight, and bears! Did I mention the bears?

But first, the fall colors. No, we don’t have much for deciduous trees, but this is good enough . ..

The rivers are full of salmon returning to spawn. Bodies everywhere, but life and the music of feasting everywhere too . ..

And here is a river full of red salmon, who turn Christmas red-and-green as they prepare to lay and milt their eggs.

But I am not alone here with just salmon and gulls. There are four others imbibing the fall wonders around us. (Of course! This is Kodiak Island, the home of the Kodiak bear, with the highest density of bears in the world.)

As wonderful as this bear encounter was—-it was not my only encounter this week. In fact, the very next day—-I had a closer call. Here I am just 30 seconds after the meet-up. Yes, this is raw and I am breathless with that just-escaped feeling!! I SO wanted to run!!

This guy was massive, fattened with half a river of salmon. ALL I wanted to do was put a mile between us. Thankfully, I didn’t run, though my heart was. I stood my ground and he turned away—back to more salmon. One lesson to take from this——don’t decide on a whim to walk through the woods to your favorite river unless you have your bear spray, air horn and a gun (or even just ONE of these!) Lesson learned!! (Let’s keep these bears eating wild salmon instead of, ummm, people.)

But one more. I will not let this stop me from getting out of the car. From walking. From exploring. From seeing. This is why:

“You see, I want a lot.
Maybe I want it all:
the darkness of each endless fall,
the shimmering light of each ascent.
So many are alive who don't seem to care.
Casual, easy, they move in the world
as though untouched.
But you take pleasure in the faces
of those who know they thirst.
You cherish those
who grip you for survival.
You are not dead yet, it's not too late
to open your depths by plunging into them
and drink in the life
that reveals itself quietly there.”

―Rainer Maria Rilke

“You cherish those who grip you for survival.”

May we live a free and wild life within that perfect grip!

(I am gripping this week. Are you?)