Can you see me

Of all the things I remember about Strawberry, the thing I loved most was how shy she seemed. She was such a big, beautiful bear, and there she was, hiding behind a single fern.

I went to the Great Bear Rainforest hoping to see a spirit bear. I’d thought about what it might feel like to see white fur against all that green. I hadn’t thought about the bear herself. I hadn’t pictured her slipping behind a fern so small I could still see nearly all of her.

When I look at this photograph now, I always see the fern first. I remember how tender I felt towards her in that moment, and how much I wanted to stay still and let her decide how much of herself to show us.