Hibernate, Hustle, Repeat: Confessions of a Modern-Day Bear

The Slow-Moving, Wise (and Occasionally Confused) Bear

If I had to compare myself to an animal, I’d love to pick something impressive—an eagle, slicing through the sky with laser focus, or a lion, roaring orders like a king. But let’s be real. I’m a bear—a slow-moving, deep-thinking, occasionally confused bear.

Here’s the breakdown:

Bears have two speeds:

1. Casual, lumbering forest stroll. (Me, pondering life’s mysteries.)
2. Full-on freight train. (Me, when I realize I forgot an important deadline… or a meal.)

I spend a lot of time in my head, reflecting on faith, purpose, and how to live from the inside out. Deep, right? Except half the time, it’s just me staring into space, wondering where i left my half full coffee cup. Call it introspection. Call it a caffeine crisis. Either way, it’s a familiar scene.

Then there’s the hibernation factor. Bears shut down for months, and while I haven’t figured out how to pull that off (yet—petition pending), I do have my own energy-saving mode. Long stretches of thinking, recharging, and “preparing” for the next big move. Some call it patience. Some call it procrastination. I call it hibernation station.

But don’t sleep on the bear vibes. Poke me or mess with my people—whether that’s my family, my students, or the ones I care about—and this slow-moving giant gets grizzly real fast.

The best part of being a bear? I know how to enjoy the good stuff. A solid meal, a real conversation, meaningful work, and the fine art of a perfectly timed nap. Life’s too short not to savor the snacks and snoozes.

So no cheetah speed here. No lion swagger. Maybe a flicker of fox cunning when I’m plotting my next meal—but mostly, I’m a bear: thoughtful, strong, a little sleepy, and perpetually snack-adjacent.

What about you? What’s your animal? If it’s something flashy like a falcon, just know I’ll be over here—shuffling along, wise as heck, and probably raiding the fridge.