A fan of David Foster Wallace’s “Consider the Lobster”
essay, I find we don’t train our attentions enough on what animals can teach
us. (More on this topic soon; am finishing a superlative book called “Our Wild
Calling” by nature writer Richard Louv).
I say, Consider the Black Bear, my totem mammal.
The reason is twofold -- during hibernation, what scientists
call carnivore lethargy (although as my pal K points out, bears are omnivores,
but whatever), the black bear …
After three months, their bladders are empty -- they recycle
water through their kidney systems. And the quality of their blood is so pure that there has
never been a recorded blood clot (I’ve had some doozies in my time) in a black
bear during carnivore lethargy.
Next: Running for
Your Life: Our Wild Calling