There are days when I think the bears have figured out life better than we have.

Recently, a black bear wandered into an Alaska shopping mall.

Yes.
A shopping mall.

It apparently walked through the automatic doors, stole a peach, pooped on the floor, and left.

And honestly?

Respect.

The bear knew exactly what it wanted.

It entered.
It browsed.
It acquired a peach.
It had an emotional release.
It exited.

No overthinking.
No people-pleasing.
No three-hour conversation wondering whether the other person really meant what they said.

Just: Peach. Poop. Peace out.

Meanwhile, humans will spend six months analyzing a text that says “K.”

We will replay a conversation from 2017 while showering.

We will wonder whether someone’s punctuation was passive-aggressive.

We will attend therapy because somebody looked at us strangely in a meeting.

And the bear?

The bear walked into a mall, stole fruit and apparently said, I have done enough for today.

Perhaps the lesson isn’t to become more sophisticated.

Perhaps the lesson is to become a little more bear.

Know what you want.

Take the peach.

Don’t apologize for needing to leave.

And when the environment no longer serves you?

Poop on the floor and move on.

Okay.

Maybe don’t actually do that.

But emotionally?

I think we’re onto something.