Arkoudaphobia: Where It All Began
As defined by Wikipedia (a most reliable source), arkoudaphobia is "the fear of bears." Profound, I know. If you've frequented this blog for any length of time, you're well aware that I have arkoudaphobic tendencies. I have a great deal of trouble enjoying the wilderness in any capacity for fear that a large and angry bear is lurking ahead, just waiting to devour me. This is especially troublesome the one time a year that we go camping as a family. In the past, I have avoided camping like the plague. But the older my kids get, the more enjoyment they find in it, and the more I'm forced outside of my comfort zone . . . straight into bear zone. Let me be clear. We are not camping in the wilds of Montana or Alaska. We are camping in a modern campground on the busiest camping weekend of the year in lower Michigan where bears, while not unheard of, are largely uncommon. Objectively, I realize that my fear of bears is irrational. And I can laugh at myself most of th...