Bear cub on Mother’s Back

Unconditional love of a mother diminishes not in nature, nor should it in life itself. One of the fondest memories of my childhood rests in the bosom of my grandmother’s unwavering devotion. I, sick with fever, was put upon her back and taken quite a distance by foot to the local hospital. My fear of hospitals caused me to bite and kick at her back each step of the way. She lovingly acknowledged my bothersome antics with a gentle hand, while voicing an encouraging word or two into my ear. All the while, her eyes remained calm and full of love. The image of mother brown bear and cub reflects such sentiment. This particular moment in Alaska reminded me of my grandmother’s reassuring and loving nature.

Coastal Brown Bear, Katmai National Park, Alaska, 2014

Canon 1DX, Canon 600mm F/4, Canon 1.4x III Teleconverter, f/5.6, 1/1000s, ISO 1600, monopod