I promised you: More Bigfoot, Cookies, and Philosophy. Here we go.

Gather round the campfire!

As part of my Bigfoot Fun Quest, I arranged a Bigfoot cookie baking day last year with two of my friends, fully intending to post the photos here, and then ruminate a little about Bigfoot.

And then I forgot to share the photos…

Okay, now that is done, let’s ruminate.

This sounds like a comedy routine. Or the setup to a joke: “Bigfoot. What’s that all about, huh?” Are Bigfoot jokes like, “your mama” jokes?

How do you know Bigfoot is a really cool guy?

Because he’s out of sight!

~ more jokes here

Seriously, though, I have two theories. Let’s just tackle the first one today.

The image of Bigfoot is always walking alone in the woods. But that can be read two ways.  Walking towards, or walking away.

So then, theory #1 of what obsesses us is: Bigfoot is like us, walking towards the unknown — looking for a tribe.

Reviewing those baking cookies photos, my mind wandered to the challenges me and “my tribe” endured not just since that day, but in the past couple of years: ailing loved ones, estrangements, major surgeries, diseases, death, suicide, unemployment… The list goes on.

My point? Not comparison. That list of woes (and joys; there were many joys too) is just a drop in the bucket. The tip of the iceberg. We’re all going through something, right? It feels big to all of us, wherever we are in our process.

Also, not arrogance. My tribe doesn’t have answers. And we try to be there for each other, but sometimes we fail.

No, my point is more this: Like Bigfoot, we need, want, and are looking for support from a tribe. First, we have to find them, before we hit the rapids.