Last summer on a car trip through northern Wisconsin I happened to look out the window in time to see a mother black bear with her three cubs. What a thrill!
The ones I saw were actually black, or nearly so, but black bears come in many different colors, from black to all shades of brown, even creamy white. Non-albino white black bears are found almost exclusively in British Columbia and are also known as “Spirit Bears.” In Native American legend, the white color of these bears is said to be a reminder of past ice ages. The white bears are also said to stand for harmony and peace.
We don’t have spirit bears where I live in the U.P. of Michigan, but somehow the little cub in the center just wanted to be white. Its playful expression is perhaps a reminder that we need a little fun in our lives now and then in order to maintain harmony and peace in our lives!