With Greatest Respect To All Mother Bears

Prudence tells us it's not wise to mess with a mother bear. More so, it is wiser to never mess with mother bear's cub!

Dear Alyzabeth,

It was eight months ago tomorrow you were placed in your mother’s arms. I remember that day so well. And not just because you cried so incredibly loud and grieved so inconsolably, which I should tell you, broke every heart helplessly witnessing your numbing fear and anger.

You may laugh one day at how I am about to describe your mother on that day eight months ago. I hope you do. I pray the laugh is filled with a daughter’s understanding and an unquestioned acceptance of a Mother’s love. Forever committed to my memory is the sight and sound of your mom instantly transforming into what I can only describe as your “mother bear.” Knowing your mom as we do, you will appreciate her (lack of) fondness at being described as such. Still, I was there to see her arms tightly wrapped around you, the tears streaming down her face, knowing that from that moment on your mom would always be there to Protect. Provide. Sacrifice. To LOVE you.

The thought ran through my head, “pity the poor fool who attempts to ever harm you, for they will have your mom to answer to.” Mr. T would have been proud and equally afraid. I will leave it to you to look Mr. T up on the Internet someday to better understand :)

I asked your mother the other day if the past eight months had past slowly or fast? The easy answer is to say time has flown by. In actuality. It has been both. Our time with you is measured not in months but in moments. The moment we first held you. The moment you first reached for us. The moment we first heard Mama and Da Da.

Nan Min Hua. Your name invoked beautiful flower and each day your mom and I share in the beauty of watching new petals unfold.

The calendar will say we held you for the first time on September 16, 2008. True enough but our hearts held you long before that. So many love you Alyzabeth yet none more so than Your mother bear who watches over you.

And will, Forever and Ever…

peace
dad