UnBEARable

I was a bear yesterday.
Not soft, cuddly and somewhat clueless like Winnie the Pooh.
Not sweet and gentle like Mother Bear. You know, Little Bear's Mama.
Not saving lives like Smokey the Bear, or just plain hungry like Yogi Bear.
Not easy-going like Baloo the Bear.

Rather I was like a bear just coming out of hibernation,
hungry,
not ready to wake up,
grouchy,
untouchable.

Here is some advice I found in dealing with bears (aka a grouchy mother/wife):

Never, ever feed a bear (This is wrong, so wrong. You must feed the bear. At all costs, feed her.)
Teach children about bear safety. (This includes feeding the bear, and bear cubs not bickering.)
Clean all food preparation & eating utensils immediately after using them. (aka: do your own dishes.)
Dispose of garbage in bear-proof cans or pack it out. (Please, if it is full, empty it.)
Keep campsites and campfire areas clean. (Goes along with the dishes and trash issues.)
Use a flashlight at night. (For reading under the covers because this is fun for the bear.)
Give way to any bear you encounter. (Sometimes this is for the best.)
Be aware of your surroundings.  Be cautious. (Self-explanatory.)
Give the bear a way to escape. (Hot tea, encouraging word, bear hug, cappuccino, funny joke, etc.)
Stay calm and do not run or make sudden movements. (Not sure about this one but it's a funny idea.)
Consider talking to it in a firm tone of voice to let it know you are a human. (Or rather, in a soft, gentle voice which turns away anger.)
If you are attacked, fight back, shout, be aggressive, use rocks, sticks and hands to fend off the bear.  (Again, NOT the way to deal with this variety of mother bear. Rather, stay calm, and love the bear. She is just having a bad day, having woken up on the wrong side of the cave. NEVER use rocks and sticks (aka harsh words). Sometimes, the bear just needs some space, some time and she will be okay.)

To my cubs,
I know I was a bear. My expectations of the day did not pan out like I wanted. That makes me unbearable (ha, ha) sometimes. But you showed me grace and love; you are all such awesome kids! You got me to smile, to laugh and come out of hibernation. From the help with supper, the French braid, and getting the tree out of the spooky attic and getting it together, you helped your grouchy mama bear get it together too. ~Mama Bear

I am not proud of days like yesterday, but they do happen. Hopefully not just to me, but in any case, today is a new day. I can shake off the last remains of hibernation and step out of the cave entirely because life really is bearable. 

Love with a little grrrrrr,
Dianne