But animals and humans run on different channels and perhaps more anthropomorphically, different value systems. From my point of view, a bear should meet his end from old age or perhaps under the crushing claws of an upstart rival, not from being hit by a car, riddled with bullets or ambushed while raiding a dumpster. Likewise, I wonder if the bear thinks it better for me to die of some virulent disease or wither away in a far-off nursing home rather than him swiping my head off (assume this bear is aware of HMOs). Whatever his perspective, I was grateful for the encounter and the lack of violence therein.
Lest we not let our super intelligence feed our hubris to glutinous levels, remember that without our fancy weapons, one-on-one we’re still in the bottom tier of contenders for animal toughness. Shoot, even a flock of angry house cats could take most of us out without too much trouble. Humility by virtue of nature is one of the greatest gifts we can find in the outdoors. It’s good we’re not the strongest. It’s good there are mountains too high to climb, rivers too wide and canyons too deep. We’ve manipulated most of our surroundings to the point we think we’re pretty hot stuff but when it comes down to it, a little ego-check is good for the well-rounded soul.
