Welcome to That Bunny Bear. A collective for optimistic stoics seeking purpose in our chaos. Here’s another slice of life.
Like all stoic optimists, Kev is a dreamer.
The kind that dreams of accomplishments that gets him remembered through history. Like Hachi the Akita, or Leonardo the Painter, or Raphael the Turtle, or Batman.
Staring out into the horizon of a sunrise, Kev feels the wind hits his fluffy fur bits. The sunlight beams down on his ears. Everyday is different; everyday is the same. Everyday is worth hauling ass for
Naturally, Kev goes to the ocean to feel life and feel alive.
The waves roll in like they’d been teaching wisdom for millions of years. Kev putters about hoping something profound would happen.
Maybe the tide revealed the secrets to becoming strong, courageous, and disciplined. Maybe it just instilled a touch of sea sickness.
The only thing we know for sure is that at the end of the day, Kev decides to treat himself with a soda pop.
Always thinking and reflecting.
Looking as introspective as ever, the wife articulates something perhaps more timely than profound.
“I’m hungry” was said; “I’m hangry” was heard.
And just like that… Kevin’s grand philosophical moment turned into a side quest.
Not a heroic nor mythical one. but one that may be ordinary but also fair.
Here’s Kevin, contemplating the logistics of climbing Mt. Greatness… and now we’re talking about lunch?
The core mission suddenly changes from “discovering the meaning of life” to “let’s find lunch.”
After all, when it mattered, Charlie’s always been there for Kevin, this is the least Kev can do in return.
This simple animation highlights that our lives are FILLED with side quests.
Somewhere along the way someone you care about will be hungry, or tired, or needs help carrying groceries, or wants to sit with you for a while and gaze into your eyes.
These side quests are spoken as negatives, but in fact they are what makes us good caring and respectable human beings. Our grand missions has to go through stops and gos like cars through stop lights.
They’re necessary because you do not live in a vacuum and you do not WANT to live in a vacuum.
Kevin will remember the little detours that had nothing to do with greatness… and everything to do with living.
Becoming the biggest bear does not happen in one fell swoop anyway. It involves dreaming big, planning next steps, refueling as needed, sleeping on time, rebuilding, getting distracted, trying again, and on and on and on.
So anyway.
Today’s philosophical moment from that bunny bear Kevin:
Step 1: Dream big.
Step 2: Get yourself in front of life so you get to learn and grow from it.
Step X.5: Never underestimate the importance of a good side quest… Especially if it starts with a hug and ends with breaking bread.
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Meow Meow
Side note:
Much like the saying “death by one hundred paper-cuts”, pursuing your dream done right is paradoxically the exact same thing with the exact same ending. It all comes down to how one frames the experience of their journey, doesn’t it.
