Stand Tall

The bear crushed his head and tore his left eye out of socket. His wife, in total shock, grabbed her cell phone and the small flashlight from her car. Although crying profusely, she managed to call emergency personnel and describe the tragedy unfolding just feet in front of her. She choked up as her husband cried in the background, “I’m dying, I’m dying.”

Her screams convinced the bear to crawl off her husband and move to the road in front of their country cabin. Still on the phone she described the bear’s actions. “His pacing back and forth in the road,” she said. The man, his vision blurred by blood in one eye, wanted his wife to run inside and save her life. She didn’t move.

When police and paramedics arrived they said the man’s survival can be credited to one person, his wife. What did she do? She stood tall. Wildlife experts say confidence respects confidence. The only reason the bear stopped his attack and backed off was he saw she wasn’t going to back off. There are so many lessons here.

When in crisis, the worse thing one can do is cower in the corner. Standing tall in physical posture is just as important as standing tall in words. The point is never back down. Power recognizes power, confidence recognizes confidence. At all times, stand tall.