Shared humanity
These two mammals share what might be called humanity, a term that while clearly inaccurate, on another level seems true.
I know more about the bear than the man. I took this portrait as it sat in a cement-lined pond in the Bronx Zoo. We looked at each other for quite a while, and it was I who turned away first, feeling—or projecting—resignation.
As for the man, we never shared an interaction. Lost in thought, he sat across from me on a long subway ride through a cold New York City night. There is something in his expression that reminds me of that bear.
Wow, this is really fabulous, Terry. Says volumes, not just about species' shared experiences, but also about the experience itself of being embodied, thinking, and being.
Trapped and no way out. That's today's Harris voters -- resigned and not fuming -- kind of How the Hell did we get here? Only one tiny positive out-take, the bear will have good healthcare...