A Faith in Spring

Tucked away with the hibernating bears of the Apostle Islands this time of year is both a cautionary tale and a reminder of the power of hope in the face of our dark times

There could be a black bear beneath that snowdrift. That is the thought that often drifts to mind when I come upon a wind-sculpted blue-blown hillock along the lakeshore or on an island in the deepest winter. But then I smile, knowing that if there is, it is much more than just a bear asleep in the snow. In their disappearance in fall and their rebirth in spring, hibernating bears hold an important lesson in things like perseverance, hope, and the power of faith in the dark times of the world around us, and a bit of a cautionary tale.